A Better Place to Be
by Havah Kinny
Summary: Peter goes to explore the remains of the Witch's castle, he finds it melting, with a human hostage inside. He brings her back with him, and they begin to fall into a love that they cannot hold on too. Movie and book based. chapter 39 up.
1. Chapter 1

"Peter, what are we going to do with the area that witch owned?" asked Susan, after the coronation,

"Well, we will go explore it, and then we will decide what to do with castle and the land surrounding it."

"The castle will be gone, it was made of ice, and the ice will have melted when summer returned to Narnia," offered Edmund, having been the only to have actually been to the castle.

"Then we best do it soon, while there might still be something left. I will go immediately. Susan, I want you and Lucy to stay here in case of danger, and Edmund, I need you to stay here to and work out some of the longer term defense needs," said Peter.

"But I want to go too!" said Edmund angrily.

"We need these things worked out, and it is due to you that the witch is dead, so you are the best one for the job," explained Susan.

"FINE! I'll stay, and let Peter be the hero."

"Im not going to be any type of hero, I'm exploring a castle that you've already been to."

"Well, you may have a point, good luck," said Edmund.

"Be careful!" warned Susan.

"Good bye, come back soon," said Lucy, waving as Peter galloped off into the distance on his horse.

"I feel kind of weird having let him go alone, like something big is going to happen, and he will be alone in fighting it," worried Lucy.

"Don't worry, Peter is very strong, and brave, he can handle himself just fine, especially with the witch gone," sad Susan, comforting Lucy.

"Yes, well, still, I really think Edmund should follow him just incase," said Lucy.

"Peter didn't want me to go, I am needed elsewhere, and besides, I really think that whatever is out there, he can handle it on his own." Edmund walked off into a room where a conference with the leaders remaining from the battle. Susan and Lucy walked off to start turning the castle of Cair Paravel into a suitable home for them.

"What about mom, won't she miss us?" asked Susan.

"Don't you understand? No time at all will pass while we are here in Narnia. When they are ready for new rulers, we can go home, and it will be just as though we'd never gone," explained Lucy.

"Yeah, they'll still be looking for whoever broke the window." Lucy and Susan began to laugh at Susan's joking manner.

"What do you think that Peter will find at the Witches castle?" asked Lucy.

"I don't know, probably just a bunch of ice, water, clothes, and food that belonged to the witch and her servants."

"You don't think that he will find anything interesting, or adventurous, or romantic?"

"No, not really, but how could he find something romantic at that castle?"

"Oh, he probably couldn't, it just fit with the other things I was saying, plus, he's almost 15, he needs a girl that is special to him."

"Well, you know what? I'm 13 and I don't have a special boy in my life."

"Well, one will come, eventually, and you know it."

"Not until we get back home, haven't you noticed? We are the only humans here."

"Well, I understand what you mean, but I mean, if we got through don't you think there might be anyone else who got through, and is just wandering around, or living here unknown somewhere?"

"I think it is highly unlikely that if anyone else got through they are still alive, after all, the witch did a really good job of making sure that no one else did."

"You may have a point, but I'd prefer to think that we aren't the only ones."

"You may think whatever you want Lucy, but if you think about it logically, it is almost impossible."

"Well, if you think logically, we wouldn't be here right now."

"That is where you have a point, and I have nothing to say."

"GOTCHA!" said Lucy excitedly. Susan and Lucy straightened up the castle in high spirits, unaware of what faced Peter at the castle.


	2. Chapter 2

Peter rode towards what had been the castle, and did not see it standing so he assumed that Edmund had been right. As he got closer, he saw that it was partially there, but not always, and he could see that it was melting. He urged his horse into a gallop, and made it to what used to be the entrance of the castle in almost record time. He dismounted, and told his horse to stay until he got back. Drawing his sword in case he met some unfriendly characters, Peter entered the remains of the ice palace.

The grand entrance was drippy, and wet, but he could tell that it used to be something special. Through the next door, there were the remains of an ice throne, with furs lying in a puddle on the ground. _Shame this place had to melt_ Peter thought to himself. There was a flight of stairs through a corridor that he didn't really trust, but thought it necessary to go down anyway. Immediately after entering he realized that he had entered some sort of dungeon. There were chains, whole and broken all over. It looked like someone had been there just before it declined, but he didn't see anyone.

Upon going through the next room, a terrible sight met his eyes. He had entered another section of the dungeon, with the ceiling, walls, and floor all dripping wet, and there was someone in there. The person was quite small, and was facing the wall, so he couldn't see what, or who they were. Peter ran over to see what was the matter, and if it was too late to save this person. When he turned her over, he saw what was clearly a girl, and she looked human. She didn't have any hooves, or antlers to be seen. Before making another move, he removed the fabric running through her mouth. Then he began to work on the chains that bound her ankles to the wall. It took him close to 6 minutes to loosen the chains, then he severed the bonds on her wrists, picked up her soaking wet, motionless body, and ran up the stairs.

He ran all the way out to the warm summer air, and took the girl over to where his horse was. Peter gently lay the girl on the grass, and looked for a way to keep her warm. It was a sunny summer day, so he hadn't worn a coat, or brought blankets. Without giving it much more thought, he removed his shirt, and placed it over her body. _God, I should have brought Susan, she would know what to do! This girl is freezing, and her wet shirt isn't helping, but I can't remove her shirt! Well, maybe I'm getting to a point where I don't have much choice. _Peter quickly removed the girls over shirt, and wrapped his tightly around her.

"C'mon boy" Peter tried to get the girl onto his horse, but the horse didn't want a cold person on his back. The horse started to gallop away towards the castle, without Peter. "DAMNIT! Get back here!" but the horse didn't make any sign of hearing him, or coming back. Not knowing what else to do, Peter picked up the girl, and holding her tightly to his chest so that she would keep warm, began walking towards the castle. She was still alive, but barely, and maybe not for much longer. _Ok, I can't let her sleep, because she might not wake up, but I don't know how to wake her up, and then keep her awake, maybe I should take to her. _"Um, hi, I'm Peter Pevensie. I live at Cair Paravel, you have nothing to worry about, I'll take care of you, I promise. The White Witch is dead. You should be alright now."

"d-dead? You killed her?" the girl barely stuttered out the words."

"She's dead, Aslan killed her, thanks to my brother Edmund, I wish I could say that I helped, but I didn't."

"T-thanks."

"What's your name and where are you from?" Peter asked, but it was too late, the girl had fainted. Peter broke into a run, now knowing that she was alive, he had to get her back and keep her alive. He pulled her closer into him for more heat, and sprinted full speed ahead.


	3. Chapter 3

After running full speed towards home, Peter bounded through the door.

"Susan, help, there was a girl in the castle, and I think she is dying."

"What!" yelled Susan running down the stairs. "We thought you might be hurt, or-or dead when your horse came home without you."

"I don't care, just get down here and help me, NOW!" Susan bounded down the stairs to join Peter. "Help me get her up to a spare room, we can get her some dry clothes, and into a warm bed."

"Alright, I'll go and get some of my things for her." Peter carried her up the stairs and set her gently on the bed while Susan went to get dry clothes. When Susan re-entered the room, she went to right to the girls side to get to work. "Peter, why aren't you wearing a shirt? Oh my god, Peter, you didn't change her into yours did you?"

"Yes, so what if I did."

"Peter, she's a girl!"

"And that shirt might be the difference between a dead girl and a live girl!"

"Yes, but Peter, there may have been a more ethical way to do it! I wouldn't be surprised if she woke up and slapped you!"

"Well, you know what, logically, it seemed like the right thing to do. It's not like I looked or anything, I was just thinking about how if she died, it would be my fault."

"Oh Peter, I'm sorry, I guess I didn't really think about how much was at stake, but you have to admit, it wasn't the most appropriate thing to do."

"I know, but she's alive, at least for now, and what's important is that she stays alive."

"Well, this time you turn around and I'll change her. Actually, you go put on a shirt and I'll change her."

"Alright, oh, and Susan, I think it's best that we don't tell Lucy and Edmund about her until we know if she's going to live or not."

"You think they didn't hear you when you ran in?"

"This is a huge castle, I'm playing off of the hope that they didn't." Peter turned around and left the room. Susan put the dry, warm clothes onto the girl. She noticed that the girl was very thin, and bruised. Her face was pale, and thin, and her brown hair was soaking wet. Peter put on the first shirt he could find, and ran back to the room. He opened the door, and entered, much to Susan's dismay.

"PETER! I'm not done yet!"

"Sorry, I'll go outside and come back in a minute."Peter exited the room, slightly embarrassed.

"Alright, I'm done now. You can come in." Peter re-entered the room, and immediately pulled up a chair next to the bed where the girl lay. Susan walked over to him, and placed her hand on his shoulder. "It's ok, she's safe now, she's going to be all right, we will take care of her, come have something to eat."

"I'm not leaving!" Peter swatted Susan's hand away angrily.

"Peter, you have to eat something, or get some rest!"

"I'll rest here, I don't want to leave her, it's all my fault she's in this situation."

"No its not, how could it possibly be your fault?"

"I didn't check the castle sooner, we brought the summer, and the summer melted the castle, and she's freezing from the water!"

"Peter, if you hadn't come, and gone to war, she would still be the Witch's hostage!"

"Yes, maybe, but at least she'd be alive! I should have checked the castle sooner! I should've been more careful!"

"Peter, you did nothing wrong, you were braver then most people would have been. You stayed, you fought for a place that might have been a dream, you rent into that castle, and you carried her miles and miles to safe place. Even if she dies, you did the best you could."

"If she dies, I didn't do enough to keep her alive, if she dies, I will have failed Narnia, if she dies, I'm going back through the wardrobe, ALONE!"

"Peter, you can't Narnia needs you."

"Narnia doesn't need a murderer."

"You didn't kill anyone! You saved her! She's not going to die, she's stirring!" The girl in the bed stirred, but did not awake. She groaned, but remained in a state of sleep. "Well, if you want to stay here, I'm going to go make sure hat Lucy and Edmund get something to eat. I'll leave you alone for a while."

"Thank you." Susan, left, and Peter rested his head on the foot of her bed, and thought about what to do.


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N : Ok, I got a review bringing up an interesting point, that Lucy and Aslan freed all of the prisoners in the castle, I apologize for screwing up, I failed to state that this dug eon was through the other, and not necessarily seen by Aslan. Also, I must say that I did think that he and Lucy only freed the stone sculptures. Many apologies, and I appreciate "Defender of Literary Narnia" bringing my faults to the surface. _**

**_ Your Author in Training Havah _**

"Please, please wake up! I don't want your death to be my fault! I don't want you to die without us knowing you, without your family ever knowing your fate, or your bravery. I don't even know your name. Please, you have to get better, couldn't bear it if you died, I would have to leave Narnia from guilt! JUST WAKE UP!" Peter yelled and whacked his fist on the table near the bed. He was just a little ways away from tears, and the girl still wouldn't wake up. "I don't know what to do, I have never been in this situation! Just give me a sign! Breathe, say something, take my hand, anything, just let me know you can hear me." The girl did nothing, made no motion. Her lips didn't move, her breathing didn't become normal, she didn't take his hand. He put his head back on the foot of the bed, and let a few silent tears roll down his cheeks.

Not a minute later, he felt a hand upon his. He looked up to see the girl's bony hand resting on his. She wasn't awake, and wasn't speaking, but she could hear him, and that was enough for him. Immediately, he felt a little better, but she still wasn't awake. Susan entered with a plate of bread, and some meat he didn't recognize. "Eat something," she said kindly handing him the plate. "Are you alright? Oh my god, Peter, have you been crying?"

"I'm fin, she can hear us, and if I was crying, what does it matter?"

"How do you know she can hear us?"

"I asked her, if she could hear me could she please give me a sign if she could hear me, if she could say something, or touch my hand, and after a minute, she put her hand on top of mine! She can hear us!"

"I don't want to rain on your parade, but it could be a coincidence, she could have just moved her hand."

"But she didn't! This isn't just a coincidence! I really think that she understood. It was a direct placement; it was pretty darn spot-on for a coincidence!"

"Well, I'll let you have your hopes, but just remember, it may not have been intentional." Susan placed the food on the table near the bed, and sat down next to Peter. "I can't even begin to feel what you are going through, I don't think, but whatever it is, it is the most powerful force that I have ever seen acting on you. Now, I am going to warn about something. Lucy brought up to me earlier that you needed a special girl in your life that wasn't family. I told her you didn't. I may have been wrong, but I'm begging you, don't fall in love with her. We don't know who she is, and we don't what she is, or where she came from. She looks human, but so did the witch, and she's Narnian, so be careful."

"I'm not going to fall in love, not with her, and probably not ever. I am going to serve Narnia, if she lives, and if she dies, I am going to go home, and live in seclusion until I can find reason to forgive myself. Letting her die just feels wrong to me, I don't know what I'm feeling, but I'm pretty sure it's close to what I would be feeling if that were you, or Lucy or Edmund lying there dying. It's just as hard for me then I thought we were going to lose Edmund."

"Well, just remember what I said." Susan got up to leave, "I'm going to go make sure that Edmund and Lucy have what they need. Make sure that you eat something. I'm going to bring up some soup later, and we'll see if we can get her to eat something."

"Thank you." Susan left, and once again, Peter was alone with his thoughts. _What if Susan's right? What if I do fall in love? _


	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N Ok, here's the next chapter. My writing has been thrown off i guess, so this chapter really really sucks. I apologize for any dissappointment this may have caused, but i have a real tendancy to screw up stories._**

**_Disclaimer: I just realize that i have forgotten to put disclaimers on all of my previous chapters. I own only the girl from the ice palace, and anyone else that C.S. Lewis did not write about._**

The days went by, very slowly, and the girl still hadn't woken up. By the third day, however, color had returned to her pale face and arms. Susan and Peter had been able to get her to swallow liquids, but Peter was still blaming himself for her condition. He slept no more then an hour a day, and ate next to nothing. He also never left the girls bed side, no matter how Susan persuaded him. Lucy and Edmund were having many curious thoughts about Peter's whereabouts, and Susan was having a hard time keeping them secret. She told them that he needed to sort out many things from the pervious chaos of Narnia.

It was the girls 7th day of being at Cair Paravel when she finally awoke. Luckily, both Peter and Susan were there for it. She opened her eyes, and was immediately unsure of her location. "Where am I? Who are you?" then looking at Peter, "Have I met you before?"

"Calm down, your safe now," reassured Susan. "My name is Susan Pevensie, and this is my brother, Peter. He rescued you from the castle of the White Witch, and brought you here to Cair Paravel. We have been looking after you for quite some time now, are you feeling well enough to answer some questions?"

"Yes, I think I am. Thank you very much for the hospitality."

"Alright, how much do you remember of being rescued?" asked Susan.

"All I remember is someone taking me out of the castle, then a little bit of warmth, and I remember someone talking to me, and begging me to wake up. Next thing I remember is someone blaming him self for my situation, he begged for a sign, so I touched his hand."

"Alright, it was Peter who brought you from the castle, and talked to you, and it was him who asked for a sign. He hasn't left your side since he brought you back." Susan left the room briefly to go and get some water when the girl began to cough. Peter pulled his chair in closer to the bed. He then extended his hand towards the girl.

"It is finally time that we get to meet. I am Peter Pevensie." The girl shook the offered hand and responded.

"My name is Rebecca Marlowe, thank you once again for saving my life." The girl lay back down on the bed, but didn't close her eyes. Susan re-entered with three glasses of water. "If I might ask, what are you?" Rebecca posed this question to mean were they humans, or otherwise.

"Oh, forgive me, we are humans, not something that Narnia gets to often I guess. We were transported here through a wardrobe," explained Peter "And yourself?"

"Oh my god, I thought that I was the only one here!"

"Do you mean to say that you came through the wardrobe to?" asked Susan.

"No, I didn't come through the wardrobe, but I did come from the human world. I was at a foster home somewhere in Ireland, and it was my first time there, and my 5th home. I was walking around, and a painting in one of the rooms just sucked me in I guess." A strange look of relief spread across the girl's face, and she looked much more at ease with Peter and Susan. The three sat in silence for a few minutes. Peter wondering about the prophecy, if maybe there were supposed to be five of them. Susan wondering about whether or not now was a good time to tell Lucy and Ed about their guest, and Rebecca wondering what was going to happen.

Susan's wonderings were answered when the complete silence was disturbed by Lucy barging into the room. She quickly stopped, then looked at the scene in disbelief. Edmund followed closely behind her, just as confused as Lucy. "What's going on?" Edmund asked after a few moments of disbelief.


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N ok, my writing is getting lamer and lamer, i am so so so sorry. I am really stressed out right now, i apologize. I just don't know what to do with this story, and i am really open to your ideas, i dont garuntee that i will use them, but please, give me some suggestions. Also, i need some opinions on the character relationships, if you care to comment. I am totally open for criticism, and if some wants to BETA, PLEASE DO! thank you!_**

**_ Your Author in Training,_**

**_ Havah_**

Susan and Peter spent the next 10 minutes explaining everything to Lucy and Edmund. When they finally understood why they weren't told about it right away, Susan got up and took them outside so that Rebecca would not be pestered by four people after having just woken up. She and Peter sat in more silence, both unsure of what to say, and both very relieved that everyone was safe. The silence was finally broken by Rebecca. "I am sorry to have burdened you for so long."

"No, don't worry about it; I am very sorry that I put you in this situation. It's really all my fault," Peter nervously drummed his fingers on his knees, a habit that he had been cursed with for as long as anyone could remember.

"The only situation that you put me in was one where I could be totally safe, I would have died if you hadn't come." Rebecca didn't understand why Peter blamed himself, and she didn't want him to think that any negative aspect of her life was his fault.

"No, it's my fault, I should have checked the castle sooner, I really should've been more diligent about it, I…" Peter stopped mid sentence, not sure where he wanted to go with this, "I'm sorry."

"Peter, I hope that you can understand that none of this is your fault, no one would've thought to check the castle before you did. I'm just lucky that anyone found me at all!" Rebecca tried with all of her strength to make him see that she owed him her life, but he was lost in his own thoughts. "You had no control over what happened, you did what you could, and look at me, I'm alive, you prevailed," Rebecca's words finally seemed to be getting through to Peter, she saw his face soften, but he was still clearly worried. "You need to get some sleep, you look worse then I do."

"I can't just leave you here, you just awoke, you may not totally be out of the woods yet on your health conditions," Peter's concern was touching and gentle.

"Well, at the rate you're going, you are not going to be in the best of health either if you don't at least rest for a little while."

"She's right, you need some rest," said Susan, who had been standing in the doorway for a few seconds waiting for her cue. "I'll stay here with her, you go and get some sleep, I'll come and get you if any of us need anything, or if anything happens. You look terrible." Peter gave in, and exited the room. Susan took his place beside the bed, and began to talk with Rebecca. "So you came through a painting?"

"Yes, but I'm not really sure how it happened, or if I can get back," said Rebecca.

"Well, getting back will be the hard part, I guess that you will have to find a painting of the room in which you were pulled from if you ever wish to return."

"I'm not sure that I really want to go back, but I think that I will living here a very hard thing. Now, if you don't mind me asking, why is it that Peter is blaming himself for my situation?" inquired Rebecca.

"I don't really know, I have never seen him take anything quite this hard. I think he may believe that he will have failed as king if he let someone die, but he is just stressed, and I believe that he is scared"

"Is he going to be all right?"

"Oh, I assume that after a wile he will be fine again. He's growing up, and he's beginning to except more responsibility for his actions, occasionally maybe too much if you know what I mean." Susan and Rebecca kept up with their conversation, diving into things like family, and how things had been before Narnia, while Peter lay awake thinking, unable to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N Ok, here's another chapter, i'm sorry that 6 and 7 came up so close together, i thought that i had posted 6, but i hadn't, and i'm too tired to wait a half hour before i post 7, and i'll forget if i wait till tomorrow. This is the way i work, i write 3 or 4 chapters overa few days, then i post them all on the same day with about 30 minute intervals while i work on later chapters. Well, anyway, i'm tired, i'm going to bed, i hope you like this chapter. I still need ideas, this fic is far from finished, help me out, send me a message, or send your ideas in a review, i dont really care much either way, and remember, i could still use a BETA.**_

**_Thanks, your Author in Training,_**

**_ Havah_**

_How did someone else manage to get through, and why didn't Aslan go to them? Were there supposed to be five of us? Not just 4? _Different things about the past weeks events kept Peter from sleep. He wanted to get up and talk to Rebecca and Susan, but they would say he needed his rest. Trying to sleep, Peter thought of everything that had happened since coming to Narnia. _Why am I High King? Edmund is the one who destroyed the witch, there is really nothing special about me. Maybe I should go back, and leave the other's to rule. I almost let my own brother die, and then another. _Not being able to stand it a minute longer, Peter stood up, and pulled a shirt over his bare chest. Then he left his room, and headed for Rebecca's. About 3 feet from the door, he stopped himself.

_Maybe she doesn't want my company or my questions, she needs her rest more then I do. I should leave her and Susan be for at least a couple hours. _Peter turned back around, and headed towards his bedroom. Removing his shirt again, he sat down on the bed, and wondered that he was going to do about all of this. Finally, he was in a place where sleep came to him, unfortunately, it was not a very peaceful sleep.

There was Lucy, lying on the floor, dead, with the Witch towering over her. "Who should I kill next king?" She asked Peter maliciously.

"Please, kill me!" he begged for death, unable to fight.

"No, I want you to watch all of them die, all four of them, and know it was your fault. Bring me the other girls." Peter watched in horror as one by one, Susan, Rebecca, and Edmund were struck down. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she granted him his last wish, death for himself.

"PETER! Wake up!"

"What's wrong? Is everyone alright?" Peter jerked awake to see Edmund standing at his side.

"Everything's alright, except for you, you were crying in your sleep, are you ok?" Edmund looked at Peter with genuine concern.

"Oh, I'm fine, I was having a dream about…never mind, how long have I been asleep?"

"At least a 5 hours, Susan wanted me to see if you were awake, she wants you to come eat something, so I came in, and there you were, having a rough time, so I woke you. Put some clothes on and join us, the girl from the castle is down there now with Susan and Lucy, we are waiting for you." Edmund left the room, and closed the door behind him. Peter stood up, got dressed, washed his face, and followed Edmund downstairs.

Edmund had been right; Rebecca was sitting at the table, wearing something that Susan must have provided for her. Susan was sitting beside Rebecca, Edmund and Lucy were on the other side of the table, and Peter was expected to sit at the head, with Edmund and Susan on either side. "Nice to see you finally got some sleep," Susan commented.

"I don't know how much, he was already awake when I got up there," said Edmund, winking at his brother.

"I had only just woken up when he got there," commented Peter, then mouthed thank you to Edmund when no one else was looking. "So, Rebecca, you're feeling better I take it?"

"So much better, thank you," Rebecca smiled the first smile Peter had seen, and then quickly turned to her food. The rest of the meal was in silence, but the whole time, everyone was making eye contact with each other, and smiling. All of a sudden, there was a large crash coming from another room. Everyone jumped out of their chairs, but Peter motioned for them to sit back down.

"I'll go see what's happened, you all stay here," Peter ran through the room, grabbed his sword in the next room, and ran to the entrance hall. A terrible shock met his eyes, and he froze in fear, not for him, but for Susan, Lucy, Rebecca, and Edmund.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N ok, Defender of literary Narnia, whoever you are, I actually am beginning to like your criticism. It's really helpful. Thank you.**_

_**Your Author in Training, who is beginning to realize she has no idea what she's doing, **_

**_Havah_**

Quickly, Peter drew his sword, though he knew that he didn't much stand a chance alone against 9 of the surviving secret police. Almost right off there was bloodshed on both sides, one wolf was dead, and Peter had a large gash on his back, it wasn't looking goods. Just then, an arrow whizzed by Peter's head, and caught one of the wolves in the throat. The glint of another sword fighting beside him much relieved Peter, as he knew that Edmund and Susan were fighting by his side. It took Peter a little while to realize that Lucy was also with them, but then he saw her little dagger catch a wolf, and throw it backwards. After the arrival of the three other Pevensies, the fight ended quickly.

Susan, being able to shoot from a distance didn't have a scratch on her, Edmund had to scratches on his left leg, Lucy had a gash on her right fore arm, and a cut on her cheek, but it was Peter who suffered the most damage. He came away from the fight with a large gash on his back, another on his chest, and a cut just above his right eyelid. Lucy rushed to him, and immediately tried to slow the bleeding with the sleeve of her dress; however, this had little effect. The blood finally began to slow when Susan rushed over, ripped off the hem of her dress in a few places, and wrapped it around the wounds. Aside from occasional sharp stabs of pain, Peter was able to walk, with the support of Edmund and Susan up to his room, where his cuts were washed, freshly bandaged, and soon after extremely slowed the bleeding. However, Peter had already lost much blood, and needed his rest, he fell again, into a fitful sleep full of bad dreams that he could not seem to wake from.

The next morning, it was the sun that woke Peter up, and not someone. He rolled over, and quickly remembered the night before as a quick pain shot up his back. Not wanting to move, he fell back on his bed, and lay there for what seemed like an hour, before he heard a knock on the door. "Peter, are you awake?" Susan was at the door.

"Yeah, come on in," Susan did so, and her smile eased a bit of the pain.

"How are you feeling?"

"Never been better," Peter joked "is everybody else doing alright?"

"Yeah, only a couple scratches, you got the worst of it."

"Just my luck, isn't it?"

"Well, it was inevitable, considering you didn't really have help at first."

"Thank you for joining the fight, if this is me with your help, think of how I would look without it," Peter meant this to be light, but Susan grimaced at the thought.

"Well, are you well enough to see some visitors?" asked Susan.

"Always am," said Peter, "bring it on." The door swung open without Susan having to say another word, and Lucy, Edmund, and Mr. Tumnus entered.

"How are you feeling?" asked Lucy, genuinely anxious for an answer.

"You look terrible!" joked Edmund, Peter gave him a glare, then a smile.

"I'm feeling better, but not the best I've felt all year."

"Yes, well, from what your brother and sister here told me, you're lucky to be alive at this point!" exclaimed Mr. Tumnus.

"Yeah, well, it looks like I'm going to make it through all right this time, but we'll have to see," said Peter, "My siblings are killing me quicker then I can say!" He joked.

"Oh Peter, give it a rest!" shouted Lucy, then with a quizzical look from Susan, she apologized for her loud noise making.

"So, how s Rebecca doing?" asked Peter curiously.

"Peter, I think that there is something you need to know about her," said Susan quietly.


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N ok, I am so sorry, but this is a very dialogue driven chapter, I couldn't really do it any other way with my lack of skill. Also, happy faces and kudos to SimonRafe, MaskedSoldier, and Ellesar-Lover, I used ideas they gave me, so I thought they deserved a thanks. Wish me luck; because I'm having trouble, I need all the luck I can get._** **_Thanks,_**

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**havah**_

**_Disclaimer: shoot, I keep forgetting these; I own Rebecca, and the plot, that's about it._**

"What do you mean?" asked Peter quietly, worried now by Susan sullen look.

"Well, I'll tell you a little later when the others have gone. We can tell Lucy and Edmund, but I think that you should verify any actions first," explained Susan, As usual; she had put much thought into this before mentioning it to Peter. She and Peter then went back to discussion with everyone else, though Peter was suddenly less animated, and not really in the mood for company anymore.

"Are you sure you're all right?" asked a concerned Edmund. E had just noticed Peter's suddenly bitter mood.

"Um, yeah, just a bit tired."

"Would it be best if we left you to rest for a while?" asked Mr. Tumnus very politely.

"Yes, perhaps that would be best, thank you for dropping by Mr. Tumnus, if you stick around I would like to talk to you later," said Peter. Everybody exited the room, except for Susan, who stayed behind to talk to Peter about their guest. "What is it? Is everything going to be ok?"

"Yes and no, Peter, we have some reason to believe that maybe there's something that Rebecca's not telling us. I mean, she has been rather quiet about certain aspects of her appearing here, and last night, she didn't really seem shocked that the secret police showed up. I think that maybe, while she stayed in that castle, the witch may have influenced her a little bit. I think it's a possibility that she knew those wolves were going to come last night." Susan sighed, relieved at having released the burden to Peter, who looked very shocked in deed. He lay back on his bed as if to say this can't be happening. Susan sat down on the foot of his bed, and patted his hand lightly. "Are you alright?"

"I don't really know, that was a bit of a shocker. Do you really have any proof, or are you going off of a hunch?" Peter asked in slight disbelief.

"We don't really have any sort of proof yet, but we intend on getting some. It is also possible that she is not fully acting as herself. There are some spells that the witch knew where she could pour little bits of people into other people. I asked some of the Dryads in the wood if there was any verification on this, and one of them said that they had seen it many times," said Susan. Susan was beginning to wonder of she should have waited to tell Peter this until he has in better health, however the impending urgency of the situation could have caused a problem if the High King wasn't told about it immediately. Peter lay there, deep in thought about what to do for at least 15 minutes before speaking.

"Alright, well, I'm going to have to heal quicker then this if I want to deal with this. Susan, I want you to try and find that Dryad you talked to, and ask him if knows anything more. If he claims to, tell him that the High King of Narnia may need his help." Peter was becoming more and more certain by the minute that if this was truly an effective spell, the Witch may be fully living in a combination of people. He was also beginning to realize that maybe the people, or things the witch inhabited could contact each other without words, or meeting. "Do you understand why this must be done?"

"Yes Peter, I think I do, but perhaps not fully." She stood and headed towards the door of the room. "When you figure out what you want to do, don't hesitate to call for me, or Edmund, I think it best we inform both Lucy and Edmund, they can help us immensely."

"Yes, oh and Susan, tell Mr. Tumnus that I would like to see him alone for a minute. Is it alright if I tell him? I think he might be able to, and I know he would be willing to help us."

"That is not a bad idea, I will ask him to come right away." With that, Susan left, and Peter began to think again. This could mean a while new war, and a very different form of fighting would be needed to win.


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N ok. I guess I'm back. The common vote wanted the story, so here it is. Sorry for any inconveniences, and hope that you enjoy the rest.**_

_**Your very apologetic author in training,**_

**_havah_**

Over the next few days, Peter's wounds healed, and in three days time, he was fine. For all three days, he had been trying to figure out what to do about Rebecca. Susan had been having a bit of trouble finding the Dryad that knew about the spell that the Witch may have preformed. While Susan had been hunting, Peter was trying to figure out three things. The first was who would the Witch have put herself into, could she be extracted without killing the people she had entered, and why would she have put herself into Rebecca, whom she eventually would have killed. During these three days, Peter refused to have any visitors, except for Susan, so that he could use this time to think.

Once he was finally feeling better, Peter left his room, and headed down to the kitchen to get something to eat, he took an apple, sat down on a stool and thought. A few minutes later, Edmund walked in. "Peter, you're up, how are feeling?" he asked, both concerned and happy.

"Oh, I'm ok, I've seen better days, but I've also seen worse. How's everybody been?"

"Lucy has been wanting to see you, but other then that everybody else has been working on that thing Susan mentioned," Edmund said this while looking around to make sure that no one who didn't already no was in the vicinity. "Susan giving her Dryad hunt one last try right now, but other then that I'm sure she'd love to know that you're up and running."

"Has anyone else said anything?" asked Peter, knowing exactly who he was asking about, but not how to say it without sounding like he was too interested.

"Oh, you mean Rebecca!" Edmund said, and Peter's cover was blown. "She's been wondering if you're alright, but mainly she's been sitting around reading, or walking around the grounds," answered Edmund. "It's harder then you'd think trying to figure out her past without her knowing."

"Well, I suppose that it would be,' said Peter, those his thoughts were not on what he was saying. He was thinking about how he wanted o free Rebecca from the Witch entirely, he wanted to be the King he was supposed to be, and rehabilitate the Narnia that all loved.

"Peter, are you there? You seem lost, maybe you should go back to bed," suggested Edmund, trying to get his brother's attention.

"No, I'm fine, I was just thinking about…" but Edmund didn't let Peter finish his sentence.

"About Rebecca," finished Edmund, in a mocking tone. "You like her, don't you?" he asked.

"Well, I was actually thinking about how I could be a better king to Narnia, and no, I don't like Rebecca as anything more then a subject who, at the moment, needs special attention. Once we find the others with the witch, I will have just as much focus on them." Peter gave the answer that sounded most reasonable, and responsible, and above all, true, to Edmund.

"How can you be so sure that the witch actually is in her, and others?" asked Edmund.

"The way Rebecca scares you," answered Peter, bringing up something that Edmund was hoping to hide.

"I'm not afraid of Rebecca!" Edmund defended himself against Peter's accusation. "I'm just not sure about her, that's all!"

"Well, being your brother for so long is telling me otherwise, you look very nervous, and at dinner, you seemed a bit jumpy, like maybe there was something about her that you didn't like. If you can, I need you to tell me what about her makes you think of the witch, it may be all we have to go off of." Peter was sorry for being accusatory, but he knew it was necessary, for Narnia.

"I dunno, there was no one thing, she just reminded of her, just an aura, nothing more," said Edmund, after thinking for a moment. "I'm not afraid though, I'm a king, and I'm not scared of some girl. You never are afraid, and I'm not anymore either," Edmund defended himself as much as he could.

"Well, I'm afraid now, and I believe we have much to fear. We have only won a battle, but I believe that the war for Narnia is just beginning."


	11. Chapter 11

**_A/N this chapter is very explanation written, and perhaps a bit boring. However, I hope that this is enjoyed. I am taking a survey. I would like to know if you want Peter to live, and if you choose he should die, how? Also, I would like to know if you are interested in a successful or unsuccessful romance. I may not listen to everything you say, but I will probably use a great deal of it. Thank you very much._**

_**Your Author in Training,**_

**_havah_**

"Are you sure about this Peter? You could be wrong, everything could be fine," Edmund protested Peter's statement.

"I have no idea about whether I am right, or wrong, but whatever ends up happening, it will be the right thing for Narnia. If we go to war against the witch, or not, we are doing what we must. We may even be going into a war against magic, a deeper, darker magic than I ever dreamed of, or read of," Peter was stern and steadfast in his decision, and his warnings. He looked grave, and Edmund knew that he meant what he was saying. Narnia may have to go to war with a power they didn't even understand.

"Well, what must be done must be done; I'm with your decision." Edmund understood how serious a matter this was, and for the first time he was agreeing to follow Peter entirely.

"I don't want this to be just my decision. I need you, Lucy, and Susan to help me. Being High King doesn't make me the only ruler of Narnia, nor does it make me any better then the rest of us." This was something that Peter had known since the coronation of him, and his family. He was no better then his family, and he was no better then anyone or anything in Narnia. Whatever is best for Narnia must be done.

"When are we going to tell Susan and Lucy?" asked Edmund.

"We will tell them as soon as we can, but lets be careful about who else hears, I don't know who all we can trust," said Peter decisively. Edmund nodded in agreement, and there were a few moments of silence. The apple sat forgotten on the counter in front of Peter. All of a sudden, the silence was broken by Susan.

"Edmund, I found the Dryad, he knows much about the spell, and I think we shall find it all quite useful!" Susan stopped to breathe and noticed Peter. "Oh, hi Peter, glad to see you out of bed, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, you found the Dryad? Is he here?" said Peter.

"Right in the other room, would you like to question him now?" Susan responded to Peter in a serious tone, and gestured towards the door.

"Yes, I think now would be a good time. Bring Lucy, and make sure Rebecca is out," Peter gave the necessary commands, and Susan willingly followed. They all sat down in a comfortable room meant for meetings and conferences to discuss the matters. Peter opened conversation, after they all became acquainted with the Dryad, Barklie. "Can you please tell me, Mr. Barklie, all that you know of this spell you told my sister about?"

"I know greatly about this spell. It is used so that one who thinks death may be near can live on in others. The spell is done in such a way that it can be undone by the initial doer in case the death does not happen. If the death does, in fact, occur, the people chosen to bear the person shall be immediately burdened, but have no recollection of it," answered Barklie.

"Could you tell me, how are we to know if someone is possessed, I think that is the appropriate word, and if it can be undone?" asked Peter, beginning to become quite anxious about the powers of this spell.

"Well, there are 13 people that bear the parts of the person, and you can tell just by asking questions, and seeing what they remember about the past few years, in your case weeks,. If they have forgotten large segments, start asking them things only the witch would remember, and if they know the answer, she lives in them. On the undoing part, the witch could not be removed just from one. You could kill all 13, or you could un do the ritual for just one, if need be. Killing only one will not kill the witch, all 13 must be gone."

"When you say gone, do you mean that if one is already dead that undoing the ritual is out of the question? That the only way to get rid of her would be to kill the other 12?" asked Susan, becoming slightly worried that they would have to kill Rebecca.

"No, but the ritual can only undo one at a time and it must be preformed with great heart, bravery, and care. It is highly dangerous, and can go wrong. If you mean to perform this ritual, you run the risks of releasing the witch entirely, killing however you are trying to free, killing everyone taking part, or all three," explained Barklie. This was beginning to sound very morbid to the four Pevensie children.

"Oh my, it's worse then I thought!" Lucy gulped.

"Wait, there more. All of the possessed can contact each other, and often meet up to try to perform a ritual to release the witch, 5 of the 13 are needed for it to work, but to undo it, 10 are needed, alive."


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N ok, this is a PATHETIC chapter, my sisters friend was reading it over my shoulder, and t was bugging me, and im in a really bad mood, and I'm sorry. Blech, new chapter soon.**_

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**havah**_

"Oh my g-d! Rebecca, she keeps going on walks, what if she and the remaining 12 are undoing the ritual every day under our noses?" asked Lucy worried.

"It is highly possible that that is the case, however, you must be careful. When one is inhabited by a violent character, they have a tendency to adopt traits. If the person you speak of is living in this house, it could be very dangerous. This is all the information that I have to offer, but if you ever need me, this smart Queen knows where to find me," Barklie finished with a bow in the direction of each of the royal family.

"Thank you, you may go," said Peter. Then he turned to his siblings. "I want you all to be armed at all times. We are entering a dangerous time, and we all need to be on our lookout. If someone attacks you, don't hesitate to defend your self at all costs, even if it's someone you thought was your friend," Peter warned his family of the dangers that could be happening. Susan, Edmund, and Lucy all nodded in a grave consent. They all knew that Peter knew what he was talking about, and that he would try his hardest to keep them all as safe as possible. One by one, everybody in the meeting left, until it was just Lucy and Peter.

"Peter, I'm scared, I don't want another battle," admitted Lucy.

"Lu, I'm scared too, I never thought that we would have to fight again so quickly. I may as well tell you the truth, I don't know if we can win this one. It is going to be dangerous, and bloody, and I expect that if we fight as hard as we will need to one, at most, three of us will make it out alive. I hate to scare you more, but I think that you need to let that thought sink in sooner or later," offered Peter. He hated to be so pessimistic, but sometimes, it was the right thing. He knew that if worse came to worse, he would give his life.

"Peter is there anything else we can do to prevent this war?" asked Lucy.

"No, I don't think so; I think that this war is inevitable," was Peter's only answer. He then got up, and silently left the room, leaving Lucy to ponder what was going on. Peter walked through the door, and into the hallway. First he headed for the library, then halfway there he changed his mind, and began to head back to him room. Then he changed his mind again and decided to go for a walk outside. The day was clear and warm, so it was very pleasant for walking in. First, he headed down to wards the river, and walked along the river for about a mile, all the while thinking about the impending war. Then he turned around and headed home by way of the forest.

When he got home, Edmund was waiting for him anxiously by the door. "Peter, something's happened, we need you to come immediately," said Edmund quickly, and flustered. Then he beckoned for Peter to follow, and down the hallway, and into the library. Inside the library,

"Ed, what's happened? Is anyone hurt?" asked Peter as he hurtled towards the library.

"You could say that," said Edmund as they crashed into the library. Peter gazed upon the scene that met his eyes in bewilderment. Lying on the floor was Susan. Edmund and Peter rushed to her side, as Lucy administered some of her healing cordial to Susan.

"What happened?" demanded Peter, asking anyone who could answer.

"About five dwarves just came in here and attacked us. We believe that they may have some of the witch in them, Susan is going to be alright, but we need to find Rebecca and find out if she's part of the witch," explained Lucy.

What of the dwarves?" asked Peter.

"We have them in custody at the moment, in case we need them for the ritual," explained Oreius.


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N ok, here you go, this is where the romance begins to come up, enjoy.**_

_**Your Author in Training,**_

**_havah_**

"We'd better not all question Rebecca, then she'd know that something was up," offered Susan.

"Yeah, you're right, we'd better have just Peter do it," seconded Oreius.

"Why me?" asked Peter, not really wanting the burden on him entirely.

"Because you care the most, and you know the most," said Lucy. Peter sighed, but agreed to talk to her when she came home. About half an hour later, she came in.

"Peter, you're up, are you alright?" she asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, can I talk to you privately for a bit?" asked Peter. The girl agreed, and he led her into a study with a few comfortable armchairs. "Can you tell me a bit about your experiences in Narnia for the past couple of weeks?" he asked her once they were comfortable.

"All I can remember is entering through a painting, and almost immediately being attacked, and taken to the witch as a prisoner. After that, I don't remember too much, I'm sorry," Rebecca looked down at her feet, as if she were ashamed of her lack of memory.

"It's alright don't worry about it. Now, do you know who killed the witch in battle?" he asked.

"Aslan, but Edmund was a great help to her downfall," answered the girl after only a second of thought.

"Hmm, now what is Edmunds favorite thing to eat?"

"Turkish delight I would assume, but im too sure," she answered.

"How do you know these things?" asked Peter, as kindly as he could.

"I- I don't know, they just came to me," said the girl, a bit shocked after thinking about it.

"Ah, yes, now I see. Do you feel anything? Anything different from what you normally feel?" he asked, suddenly softening.

"Yes, I, Peter, can I trust you?" Rebecca suddenly became grave and serious.

"Yes, of course you can," he said.

"Peter, I'm still the witch's prisoner." There was a long moment of silence, which was broken only by the soft tears of Rebecca. Without thinking, Peter crossed the room to her, and held her tightly in his arms. They sat there in almost-silence for minutes, but it seemed like hours. He comforted her, and she cried.

"So, by that you mean you know that she is inside you?" Peter asked tenderly.

"Yes, but how did you know?" she asked.

"We talked to a dryad, and he explained about a spell that the witch may have preformed on you and 12 others. You have just given us the information that we need to know that it took place. Now, if you are ok, could you please answer a few more questions?" asked Peter, returning to his chair.

"I think so."

"Alright, are you always partly her, or are you sometimes you, and sometimes her?" asked Peter.

"I am mostly me, but once o twice a day, I feel different, trapped, and she starts to take me over."

"Alright, well, I guess that's really all I have to ask you, thank you very much," Peter stood to go, but Rebecca stopped him.

"Peter, kill me, please." Peter was taken aback by her request.

"Why?"

"Because I am doing the witches deeds. I told those dwarves to come and kill you all, and the wolves, but not me, the witch inside of me," Rebecca began to silently cry again. Peter walked over, and sat down next to her.

"I'm not going to kill you, but I think there's a way that we can get her out of you. We need five more members of the witch, other then the dwarves, and there's a dangerous ritual, but I think we can do it. Until then, we are going to keep a very close watch on you, to make sure that you kill no one on accident." Peter was kind, but firm in his decisions, and he again rose to leave, this time helping her up with him. "You look awful, let's go and have something to eat," he suggested. They both walked to the kitchen I silence, and sat down.


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N here we go again, gosh, this is addicting. Also, I have been doing nothing but writing for the past week, so if you were wondering how I was cranking out the chapters so fast, that's how, I have no life. I knit and write, and watch movies. Well, I need to know about your views on the romantic intervention, and the survival of different characters.**_

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**havah **_

Peter and Rebecca sat in the kitchen talking for quite sometime, learning about each other. They told each other about their families, and about their lives before Narnia. Peter told of his Narnian experiences, but since Rebecca didn't remember hers, she just followed along. "It was Ed that really won the battle for us, I would be dead without his help," explained Peter.

"Well, I'm very glad that he stopped her from killing you," responded Rebecca.

"Yes, me…too," Peter slowed his conversation and then stopped. Rebecca stopped as well, and they became briefly lost in each others eyes. Then, suddenly, without a word Peter stood up and ran out of the room. He ran past a lounge room, where Susan was reading. She noticed him, and followed him upstairs to his room.

"Peter, what's wrong?" asked Susan concerned. Peter sat on his bed, not making eye contact with Susan. "Peter, tell me now, you look awful, like you've just seen a ghost."

"I-I think maybe I have. It just hit me, I don't know, maybe I was dreaming."

"Peter, you're not making any sense!" exclaimed Susan. She sat down next to him on the bed, and put her arm around his shoulder.

"I don't know what's going on, all that I know is that Rebecca is part of the witch, and she feels it, it's causing her pain every minute," Peter was growing angry, but he could not understand why.

"Peter, you can't always be the hero, someone is going to be in pain, always, you can't help everybody. She'll be alright," said Susan, trying to comfort Peter.

"I can't stand to see her in this kind of pain! Not someone that I think I know. I can't bear this," Peter slapped Susan's hand away as he yelled.

"Peter, I thought I warned you not to fall in love!" said Susan.

"It's not like I can help it! Love is a force stronger then you can imagine. Its powerful, and foreboding. It grips, and won't let go of me, and there's nothing that I can do!" screamed Peter, then he realized his mistake. Telling Susan that he was in love just as he was realizing it himself was not a good idea. She had warned him to stay away from her, and he had gone and done the one un-sensible thing, and totally by accident, that he could have done. Susan looked shocked. She had been going off of a hunch, she was unsure as to whether there was any truth o her accusation.

"Oh Peter, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…you didn't really did you? I mean go and fall in love?"

"I'm not sure, but there is this feeling that is quite different, I felt, I mean, when, never mind, go away." Peter pointed towards the door and looked down at the floor. Susan, however, did not leave. She remained standing there, waiting for Peter to calm down.

"Peter, I'm not leaving you like this, I have never you seen in an emotional state of this magnitude, and I don't really like having you in it. Please try to come out of it, Narnia needs you, Lu and Ed need you, and I need you too," Susan put a comforting hand on his shoulder, and he fell back on to his bed, deep in thought.

"I'll try to do the right thing, I really will, I promise." With that, Peter thanked Susan, and bid her exit from his room. She did so, though she wished to have someone with him. Peter sat up, and whacked his head against his bedpost thinking about his stupidity, and over-reaction. _What a day, _he thought to himself. _Could it have gone any worse? Yes, I suppose it could have, someone could have died. I need to sleep on this. _And ever though it was only 4 in the afternoon, Peter fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**_A/N ok. Here you go, and I'm feeling the need to specify that only one of the wolves from earlier was possessed. Ok, so I want to know if anyone knows where I got my title from, so in a review, let me know. If you get it right, I'll give you a shout out in my A/N for a later chapter. Enjoy,_**

_**Your author in training,**_

_**havah**_

Mr. Tumnus was sitting in his house in the woods, pondering the conversation that he had had with King Peter earlier on. It had been a confusing conversation, and one that called for much pondering. _Peter is asking me to make sure that Lucy does not join him in the fight for Narnia? Why? Because She is to young to die, he said, but she can hold her own? Well, whatever King Peter says must go, he is the High King, and he must be respected. I only hope that Lucy does not mind this arrangement. _Then Mr. Tumnus sat there in silence, thinking and sipping his tea. This had been a very interesting week for everybody.

Peter awoke from his sleep in the early hours of the morning, and was sure that no one was up. He looked outside of the window, and was captivated by the moon shining on the river. The beauty of the dawn was calling to him, so he got up, put on some reasonable clothing, and went out for a walk. He had almost walked out of the castle door, when he remembered his sword, and decided that he'd better take it with him, considering what had been happening lately. Peter ran back upstairs to his room, grabbed his sword, and exited the castle. Sometimes it just takes silence, privacy, and beauty to think seriously about something.

As he walked along, he thought about the performance of the ritual. Barklie has left it written down for them, and it looked dangerous. It required the person with the Witch inhabiting them that was to be cured, plus 10 others, all in the state of mind of the witch to perform it. Also, there needs to be one person to perform the ritual, and this person is at the most risk, for this person must deal with all of the things that are inhabited. This person must use verbal persuasion to get one living memory that is not of the witch from the mind of each victim, and then 5 memories based off of these from the person being cured. When Peter had looked up the ritual in the library, it had said that the person performing the ritual has often been killed by the possessed. _Bring it on, whatever must be done for Narnia must be done, _thought Peter, knowing that he would be the one to perform the ritual.

Peter walked along silently thinking for a little while, and then he heard the crack of a stick. Whirling around, Peter drew his sword and came face to face with a 2 dryads. Normally, dryads would not bother Peter, but these two did not seem quite themselves. "He's the one, kill him! She said he was out of the castle, it's him!" said one to the other.

"Yes, you're right, it must be. Time to die little king!" Each dryad produced a dagger, which they then proceeded to attack Peter with. Peter, however, was slightly faster. He had quickly realized that these two dryads were bewitched by the queen, and that Rebecca knew he was out. Quickly knocking out the two dryads, Peter scooped them up, and ran back to the castle. If Rebecca, in the state of the witch, knew he was out, they might see this as an opportune moment to attack Cair Paravel.

Peter entered the castle with his sword drawn, and dropped the two dryads in the entry way, and locked the door. He ran as fast as he could up to Rebecca's room. Upon opening the door, he saw her crumpled on her bed, crying. Instinct kicked in, and he rushed to her side. "Are you alright? What's happened?" he asked, picking her up gently, and pulling her into his arms. She didn't respond immediately, but kept on crying. "What's wrong, please tell me," he asked.

"I-I tried to kill you!" she sobbed. "I told them you were out and where I thought you would have gone! I thought you were dead!" Rebecca cried into Peter's arms, and he held her for only a few minutes.

"Its alright, it wasn't you, I'm fine, they are in the hall, and no ones dead, it's going to be ok," Peter stroked her hair absent mindedly, as he would Lucy or Susan. "Nothing's going to hurt you; I promise that we are going to come out of this together."

"Thank you, and may I ask why you ran away earlier?" asked Rebecca. Peter was quite taken aback by this question, and he didn't know quite how to answer.

"I don't know, I was scared I guess," he finally said.

"Of what?"

"I don't know, everything, a battle, a war, my family's safety, your safety, and Narnia's well being," he reasoned with himself, and decided not to be very specific. Still crying, Rebecca rested her head in the bend of Peter's arm, and fell asleep with him holding her. When he was positive she was asleep, he set her down on the bed, and went back to the entry hall to put the Dryads safely in a room with the dwarves so that they could be used to sure Rebecca. Then he returned to his own room, filled with a feeling that he had never felt before. Upon getting back to his room, he realized that he wasn't going to sleep at all today, and he may as well go downstairs and start the day.


	16. Chapter 16

**_A/N ok all, here's the sweet 16! I can't wait to see what you guys think! I'm trying to elongate my chapters, but it's hard. I also want everybody to read MaskedSoldiers fic Incidente nell'Amore. I hope I spelled it right, I'm not looking at it right now. It's really good. _**

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**havah**_

As soon as the hour was reasonable, Peter called for a meeting with Oreius. "Oreius, it is very important that we find three more of the remaining victims of the witches spell. Only one of the wolves was possessed, and he's dead now. We have 5 dwarves, and 2 dryads, but I need you to go round up the rest," Peter told Oreius.

"I understand this is becoming more and more urgent, is it not?" asked Oreius.

"I can't even begin to speak of the importance. We must do what we can to free Rebecca and Narnia for once and for all," Peter put great emphasis on this last part, and Oreius took this as his cue to "go hunting".

An hour later, the rest of Peter's family had woken up. The four of them were all talking together about what was going to happen with the war, and Peter saw this as a good time to mention the ritual needing to happen soon. "Peter, are you alright?" asked Lucy as she looked up at Peter.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just didn't really get much sleep," Peter answered faking a smile. Lucy was smart enough, and she knew her brother well enough not to believe him, but she kept quiet. "Alright, I have asked Oreius to go out and find the remaining 3 creatures for the ritual, so that we can perform it as soon as possible," said Peter.

"Remaining 3? I thought we needed 10, that would make eight," said Edmund, confused.

"Yes, well, two more wandered in last night, and they are now ready," Peter patted down the truth a little, to keep his family from hating Rebecca.

"Oh, so you expect me to believe that two possessed beings just wandered in here and let you lock them up without a fight?" asked Edmund.

"Well, um, yes, I do," said Peter.

"Well, I don't! How did they really get here?" pressed Edmund.

"It doesn't really matter, they're here now, so its fine," said Susan, preventing a fight between the brothers. Peter met Susan's eyes long enough to mouth "thank you" to her.

"Fine, but I still want to know!" said Edmund slightly angrily. He glared at Peter, as if to say I'll find out, just not now, wait and see, then smiled and winked. Peter smacked him lightly on the head, and mouthed "I'll tell you later" to his brother.

"So we mean to perform the ritual as soon as we can, but we need three more possessed beings?" asked Lucy, trying to catch herself up to everything.

"Right, I would like to perform the ritual today, if luck is with us, and the possession cycle permits it. You see, they are not always in the mindset of the witch, and they all need to be for the ritual. Luckily, when one of them has entered the mindset, they all have," explained Peter. Susan, Lucy, and Edmund nodded, trying to take it all in as quickly as Peter was saying it.

"Peter, you're talking to fast! Are you sure you're ok? You have never sounded so, well, urgent in your life!" exclaimed Susan, becoming slightly aggravated with this strange behavior. Peter threw Susan an exasperated look, then slowed down, and repeated his speech.

"Alright, well, we will do what we can to have this happen today, Lucy, I want you to go and get your healing cordial, it could be very handy if something happens, always have it with you. Edmund, I need you to get your sword, and Susan, I want you to stay with Rebecca, and keep her from doing something bad when she's in her witch form," directed Peter.

"What are you going to do?" asked Lucy.

"I'm going to go off and help Oreius," said Peter, taking up his sword, and tying the belt to his waist. Peter began to head towards the stable to get his horse, but was stopped halfway by an arm on his shoulder.

"You'd better come this way, trust me, you don't need to go out there." Peter whirled around, taken aback, to see what, or who had stopped him. He then breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Mr. Tumnus. He turned, and followed the faun towards the basement of the castle. Once there, he saw Oreius.

"Your highness, we have caught three more of your specimen. One badger, and two more wolves, they are here now," Oreius bowed as Peter entered. "They were in the witches form when we found them, but not now. We will have to wait until their next changing to perform the ritual, I am deeply sorry sir."

"It's alright, you have done very well. Mr. Tumnus, if you wouldn't mind staying here and watching after these 10 until they turn back, and then come and get someone as fast as you can," directed Peter, walking up towards the main level with Oreius. Mr. Tumnus gave his nod of approval, and sat down to wait for the change.


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N This is my christmas present to you all, two chapters at once. ok, things begin to pick up a bit in this chapter, oh, how exciting! Thank you for reading with me so far, I can't wait to hear from ya'll, and then write more! ENJOY!**_

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**havah**_

"Susan!" Peter ran towards Susan as she headed up the stairs to see Rebecca. Susan turned around, and then stopped.

"What?" she asked.

"We have all 10. As soon as they are all in the witches mind frame, we can perform the ritual," Peter told Susan rather excitedly.

"Alright, don't be so excited, it's very dangerous, I read the write up on it also, and it's not safe. I think that Oreius should do it," said Susan firmly. Peter looked at her, both in amazement and disbelief.

"You know that I have to do it, I can't put one of my subjects in that danger because I want to save my own skin. I'm doing it, and you know it!" said Peter defiantly.

"Peter, we have come to close to losing you since we came to Narnia too many times. Do you really want to leave Edmund and Lucy without someone to look up to? Do you want to leave them brother-less?" asked Susan harshly, and controlling.

"I don't want to leave them, but it's better me then you. They need you, you take care of them, I just help." Peter tried to argue a case to Susan, and it didn't matter what she said, he was going to perform the ritual. He told Rebecca that they would come out of it together, and it didn't count as together unless it was him who liberated her.

"That's not true, we are a family, and we all look after each other. Without all of us, there's not to much point to it is there?" said Susan.

"Nothing that you can say is going to change my mind. This is my fight, and I am going to take the risk. Now if you don't mind, I need to go and let Rebecca know that we can release her soon," Peter pushed past Susan, and headed up the stairs, but Susan held him back.

"You'd better let me do it. I think that you are getting too attached to her. We all see it, Edmund and Lucy to. You've been acting so different lately that it's hard not to notice that something's going on." Peter continued up the stairs pretending not to have noticed Susan's hand on his shoulder, or her words. Inside, he was burning with anger, not because of false accusations, but because he knew she was right, and he hated that. When he reached Rebecca's room, he knocked softly on her door.

"Who is it?" she called from inside.

"It's Peter, may I come on?" he responded as calmly as possible after his argument with Susan.

"Yes, please do," Peter walked into her room, and sat down in the chair by the desk. "what is it? Is everything ok?" Rebecca asked.

"Everything's fine. We have everything that we need to perform the ritual to release you from the witch's power. It is very dangerous, and it may not work. Many people could die, but we are willing to give it a try, if you want to risk it. The only that we have to wait for is we need you all to be in the witch's state of mind" Peter explained the situation to Rebecca.

"I have no fear for my own life, but how many others are at stake if this goes awry?" asked Rebecca concerned.

"Well, yours, of course, the 5 dwarves, 2 dryads, 2 wolves and the badger that are also possessed, and whoever performs the ritual. Those are the only lives that are directly at stake, but if the witch is released from all of you, she will be herself again, and then more, but we can do it without that happening, I think." Peter wanted Rebecca to go through with it, so he tried to make it sound appealing. However, his confidence level was at an all time low, and this was getting harder and harder to do.

"I think that we should give it a try, but if it starts going amiss, then we should stop. Who is going to perform the ritual?"

"I will. It is my duty as the king of Narnia to make sure that everyone else is safe, and that includes this ritual," answered Peter decidedly. Rebecca looked slightly shocked, but tried to cover it in a calm manner.

"I wish you would let someone else do it, I don't want you to die for my sake," said Rebecca quietly.

"I'm going to do this, nothing anyone says will stop me. I promised you that we would get through this together, and we will, I promise again." Peter remained firm in his decision, but also he remained true to his word. Without saying anything else, Rebecca turned from the window she had been staring out of, walked over to Peter, and hugged him. He was quite taken aback by this action, and he simply put his arms around her, and patted her back. Rebecca thought better of herself, and quickly broke apart their embrace.

"I'm sorry, that was a bit much," said Rebecca, ashamed of her immediate actions. Peter stumbled over words in his head for a moment, then spoke.

"It's alright, I understand it. I mean, I know what you are feeling, I think, well, actually, I don't, but…well, I know it must be hard." The words Peter had wanted to say came out all muddled and wrong, and he whacked himself lightly on the forehead. "I meant, it's ok, I don't mind," he caught himself, and Rebecca laughed lightly. Peter then caught himself smiling for the first time that day. _This can't be good, but I think that maybe I do care more for Rebecca then I ought to. Susan's going to kill me for this someday. _Peter thought to himself as he stood and began to exit Rebecca's room. He was almost through the door when he heard her say something. He turned around, and immediately realized that it was time to perform the ritual.


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N ahh, the moment of truth, THE RITUAL! Here ya go folks, enjoy!**_

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**havah**_

"I'm really sorry about this Rebecca," murmured Peter under his breath as he ripped a piece of fabric from her sheet, and tied her hands together so that she could not hurt anyone too severely. He then dragged her out of her room, and down the stairs, all the while calling to Mr. Tumnus and Oreius that it was time for the ritual. Hoofs and feet alike clattered around getting everything set up. The 10 others were brought from the basement, and held into control by Oreius, Tumnus, and eight other volunteers. Peter passed Rebecca over to Edmund, who insisted on helping, despite Peter and Susan's protests, and took out the requirements. "Akhara VaHaynyem!" Peter shouted the opening words, and they were all surrounded by a ring of fire.

Peter proceeded towards to first wolf. His only goal was to make him remember, and say out loud something that was his own memory. "Shahanyim Arissia! Recall a memory for us!" after the magic words, Peter had to improvise. "Tell me something you remember! Now!" Peter yelled.

"I remember stabbing Edmund!" snarled the wolf.

"Not the witch's memory, your own!" yelled Peter, beginning to become afraid, but it was to late to stop now.

"I can't!"

"THINK!"

"I recall Maugrim running at Peter, then all of sudden he was dead!" growled the wolf, then fell silent. Peter found this to be correct, as the wolf stopped struggling and fell to the ground. Peter advanced towards the next wolf.

"Shahanyim Arissia! Recall to me a memory of your own, not the witch's!"

"Digging through the Beaver's dam to find the children!" this wolf to collapsed in a heap. Peter moved on to the first dwarf.

"Shahanyim Arissia! Recall your own memory!"

"My 10th birthday when my mother was killed in an accident in the river!" shouted the dwarf after a moments thinking, then he too collapsed.

"Shahanyim Arissia! Recall one of your fondest memories to me!" shouted Peter, wanting a more pleasant one.

"My wedding day to my wife! It was 220 years ago to the date!" yelled the dwarf.

"Good, good, muttered Peter. Shahanyim Arissia! Recall to me a memory of your own!"

"The witch caught me and turned me to stone, but not before performing a spell on me! She did this because I was rebelling against her!" Peter went through all of the dwarves, then the two dryads recalled memories from before the witches reign, and the badger recalled his dinner from two weeks prior to his bewitchment. Next up was the most dangerous and challenging part. It said on Peter's paper that id Rebecca said a memory that was not her own, things would go wrong, different things depending on how many times she went wrong.

"Shahanyim Gobdijiak Arissia! Speak to me 5 memories, all your own, none of the witch's, and you shall be free!" shouted Peter. "THINK! You can do this!"

"I can't, I can't remember!" screamed Rebecca. Peter repeated his magic, then waited. "I remember entering a painting, then being in a whole new place," said Rebecca slowly. _One down, four to go! _Thought Peter. "I was terribly mistreated by my parent when I was young, and I had to be taken away from them!" offered Rebecca, after even more time thinking. _Come on, come on! _Thought Peter _we're almost done! Just three more! _"King Peter running out of the kitchen for no apparent reason!" screamed Rebecca. Peter was becoming more and more anxious, because with every memory, Rebecca seemed to be in more and more pain. "I CAN'T DO THIS!" screamed Rebecca "I CAN'T THINK!"

"Yes you can! You have to! It'll be all over if you can just remember two more things!" Peter tried his best to sound reassuring, although he didn't really think it mattered. She either would remember, or she wouldn't.

"The cold dripping down on me from the ice palace, the wet making me shiver, then all of a sudden, extreme warmth, and light!" Rebecca said, almost whispering.

"Come on Rebecca, one more, just one more! You're doing great!" Coached Peter.

"I remember the look on that fauns face as I turned him to stone!" said Rebecca coldly, recalling one of the witch's memories. _Oh no! _Peter thought _what's going to happen now? Can she still give us one more, or is it all over? _Suddenly, Peter noticed that the wolves, dwarves, dryads, and badger had all vanished from their position on the floor. "I-I remember the feeling of shelter and safety from Peter's arms as I cried," Rebecca whispered, and then fell in a heap on the floor. Immediately, the fire went out, and Peter's strength and energy with it. He fell in a pile next to her, and passed out.


	19. Chapter 19

**_  
I'm posting this chapter so close to the others because I received a review from a very disgusted person, giving me a rough time about a mary sue. I deeply apologize for "defiling the works of C.S. Lewis" and I will try harder not to do it again. I might add that if this upsets you so much, you might try two things, one, give me some actual suggestions, or just don't open it! I'm not a good author, and I'm fairly new to it. I am only finishing this story because I made a promise to a couple of people, but other then that, my Mary Sue and I will leave FanFiction alone. Ok, this is a rather short chapter, but I wanted to end it here, so there you go, sorry if it upsets anyone, but it feels right to me! I hope that you all have been enjoying this, and more is coming!_**

_**Your author in Training,**_

_**havah**_

Rebecca awoke wondering where she was, and what had happened. Then she looked around, saw Oreius and Mr. Tumnus bending over her, and she remembered. The fire, the screaming, the yelling, the magic, it was all coming back in a whirlwind of color. Then all of a sudden a sight caught her eye. Peter was lying on the floor next to her, and without thinking, she screamed. "Miss, are you alright?" asked Mr. Tumnus rushing to her and bending down to her level.

"Is- is he d-dead?" asked Rebecca, afraid of what the answer may be. Mr. Tumnus looked pained, and Rebecca's fears deepened.

"We don't know. Lucy's healing cordial didn't wake him, but we aren't sure that it didn't cure him either. Let's just look on the bright side shall we? Did the ritual work?" said Mr. Tumnus, trying to stifle a smile.

"Yes, I believe it did, I feel free. Why haven't we moved him to a bed?" asked Rebecca, confused, concerned, and not wanting to talk about herself.

"Well, to tell you the truth, we were afraid to move either of you, in case you lashed out. I am very sorry; perhaps we should be moving him. What do you think Oreius?" The faun looked up at the centaur for advice, and waited while he thought.

"Well, the girl awoke fine; I say we give it a try. It may be the best thing to do," decided Oreius after only a few minutes of thinking. Mr. Tumnus helped to lift Peter's limp body on to the back of Oreius, and then kept him stable as they walked up the stairs. Susan, Edmund, Lucy, Susan, and Rebecca followed them up the stairs, and help to lay Peter gently on his bed.

"I suggest that we take shifts with him, just in case he needs anything," offered Lucy. "The people not on shift can sleep, and when they are too tired to stay awake, they wake the next person."

"That's a very good idea Miss Lucy. It's getting late, and we all need out rest after the days events," agreed Mr. Tumnus with a smile, this time genuine, but short lasting.

"Exactly how long was I out? It can't have been more then noon when I transformed!" asked Rebecca.

"Well, it is now late, and time for sleep, so I'd say you were out for at least nine hours," said Susan. "who wants the first shift?"

"I do," volunteered everyone at once.

"I think that the first shift belongs to me. If it weren't for me, none of this would've happened, and I've slept nine hours already," said Rebecca.

"Yes, well, if you insist on a shift, it might as well be the first one, that way we won't have to wake you up late at night," reasoned Susan, "But you don't have to take a shift."

"I insist on taking at least one!" said Rebecca.

"Alright, here's the deal. Rebecca, after 2 hours, you come and wake me, and I'll relieve you. Then I'll wake Mr. Tumnus, then Oreius, then Edmund, and finally Lucy. If we're lucky, we won't need all of us. Agreed?" said Susan.

"Agreed" chimed in everyone else. Then they all went their separate ways, and Rebecca pulled up a chair. She knew that she would not wake Susan when it came time. This was her responsibility, it was her fault. Peter had insisted on reforming the ritual, for her, she had messed up, and whatever happened to Peter was entirely her fault. The thought that he may have given her life for her brought her to tears. Rebecca stayed in the chair, with her head rested on the cushiony foot of the bed for both her shift, and Susan's.

The silence was broken as Rebecca heard, and felt Peter stir. She sat straight up, and was immediately elated to know that Peter was alive. Rebecca wiped the tears from her eyes and tear-stained face, and held her breath for the best. Delight absorbed her as he slowly opened his eyes. "Oh my g-d! Thank goodness you're alright! I thought you might have died. Thank you so much, it worked! I'm free!" Rebecca whispered hurriedly to Peter, not wishing to wake anyone else. Then in one moment of sheer joy and passion, their eyes met, and they shared a long, deep, meaningful kiss.


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N FINALLY, things are beginning to pick up. This is a very dialogue driven chapter, I apologize, its quite, well, I guess choppy and awkward as well, but it's the chapter that I have had the most fun writing so far. As always, enjoy, and thank you.**_

_**Your author in Training,**_

_**havah**_

Rebecca realized her mistake, but it was to late. She pulled away from Peter as quickly as she dared. "Oh-oh my g-d, I am so sorry! I had no right to do that, I-I, I have to go, the others will want to know you're ok," Rebecca looked flustered as she tried to come up with a viable excuse to leave.

"It was my fault as much as it was yours. Please don't go, it's alright, besides, I don't want to wake the others, they should be sleeping, actually, so should you, why aren't you?" said Peter.

"I slept for quite a while after the ritual, and I wasn't tired. Also, someone needed to look after you, we decided since I was awake, and not planning on sleeping anyway, that I would take shift one. Then when it came time to wake Susan, I decided to let her, and the others sleep," Rebecca explained, as she sat back down in the chair. Peter took this in, and said nothing. Ht was lost in his thoughts. _I can't believe that happened! Now Susan's REALLY going to kill me. _He fell back down on the bed, to weak to support himself any longer. "Are you ok? You look as though you could use some more sleep," asked Rebecca, noticing Peter's lack of energy.

"I'll be fine, just a little weak from earlier. I'm not going to be able to go back to sleep. We lost the other 10, where did they go?" wondered Peter aloud about the mis-preformed ritual.

"I'm not sure, they just went. We will figure it out later when more people are awake, for now, you just stay here, and don't do anything energetic, I'm going to go and get Lucy and her healing thingy, that should bring you to full strength." Rebecca got up to get Lucy's cordial, but she was stopped by Peter throwing a pillow at her. "What'd you do that for?" she asked.

"Sorry, it was the only thing I could reach. Lucy's cordial heals injury, it doesn't bring back strength. The only thing that waking her up would do would be to take just a little bit of her energy," Peter managed to laugh a bit, and Rebecca turned back around, smiling.

"I'm just to glad that you're alright, that this is all over. I'm free, there's this feeling that something is over, and something's barely begun," Peter stared at Rebecca, not quite sure what she meant. "T-the war I mean, the war has barely begun," Rebecca explained, mentally kicking herself, though she was beginning to hope that maybe something between her and Peter was barely beginning, and she smiled a little smile all to herself.

"No, I know what you meant, and you're right. Once battle is over, and now we have to face the war, but Narnia is strong, and we can do it, all of us, together," said Peter, trying to sound as though he knew what he was doing. _Damn, that was really corny wasn't it? Oh well, she stumbled around too, so it's alright, _thought Peter. "If you are tired go to bed, but try not to wake anyone else in the process," advised Peter, trying to sound wise, then he became confused. _Why am I trying to sound so wise around her? So wise and so, well, valiant? This should probably stop before I really screw up. _

"Oh, I'm not going to sleep, but I'll leave if you like, if you need some time to yourself, and I won't wake anyone, I promise," said Rebecca, making ready to leave yet again.

"No, no, it's fine, I would like some company, and no one else is awake, and if you're awake, I mean, there's really no point in us both being awake alone in separate places," reasoned Peter, finally happy with a statement that he had made. They sat there in an awkward silence for a few minutes before anything was said. "So how does it feel? To be free of the witch," asked Peter at last, wishing that this awful silence would go away.

"I don't know, I just fell, well, free. Like a huge load has been taken off my back. I don't have to worry anymore about whether something that I have subconsciously done is killing someone that I care about, and that's a great feeling," Rebecca was serious, but she put a bit of a joking tone to it, she liked Peter's smile, and she liked it even more when he laughed.

"Well, that's a very good thing. I'm a wreck when I think of the possibility that my actions may have taken part in someone's death, or a serious injury. I had a bit of trouble bearing it when Edmund was captured by the witch, and again when you were dying," said Peter, sharing his feelings as easily as if he were talking to one of his friends from school.

"Susan said that you really beat yourself up over that, please understand, it wasn't your fault! I know that I've said this before, but you had no control over it, and we are all alive and well, so it's alright," said Rebecca, trying to get Peter to stop blaming himself for every little thing that went wrong. "Anyway, it was so brave of you to perform the ritual that saved me from my imprisonment."

"It was my place to do that, for Narnia. We need you beside us in the fight, you know first hand, and that will be very useful. Narnia needs you, Susan needs an older girl around, Lucy could use a role model that's not Susan, because Susan is a bit to uptight sometimes, and Edmund needs to learn some lessons. He doesn't really listen to me and Susan, so we are better off with you cured, and me weak for awhile, then me at full strength and you possessed," said Peter, now just speaking to be saying something. _I need you to, I need a friend that's not going to refer to me as your majesty, someone who is not a relative, some that I can talk to, and not have to worry, and someone to care about, but there's no way I'm telling anyone that. _

"Thank you, I appreciate your need, and I will do all that I can to make sure Susan has a friend, Lucy a role model, and Edmund a teacher," Rebecca smiled, hoping that somewhere in side of him, Peter needed her to, and not just for the fight.


	21. Chapter 21

**_A/N Sorry for the slow update, I was on vacation. Also, I am going through a pretty tough time with my non existent love life, so my writing will probably start sucking even more, but hopefully not. This is more of a dialogue driven catch up chapter, but it's kind of Necessary, sorry. ENJOY AND REVIEW!_**

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**havah**_

Rebecca stayed, and she and Peter just talked for quite some time. Their nice chat was broken when someone walked in. "Peter, you're alright! Why didn't you wake us Rebecca?" asked Edmund, both elated, and slightly angry for not being told immediately. He rushed to Peter, overcome with joy, and was about to hug him, when he regained his composure, and shook his brother's hand.

"I didn't want to wake anyone; it seemed like a bad idea. Why are you up? It's still early," said Rebecca.

"If your brother was possibly dead, would you be able to sleep?" asked Edmund, slightly rudely. "Well, I couldn't, and I didn't want to wait in bed any longer, so I cam to see him. We really should tell everyone else," said Edmund, for the first time thinking more logically than his older brother. "Lucy's awake also, but Susan isn't. I think she was waiting for Rebecca to come, and she got tired and crashed."

"You are probably right Ed, Rebecca, will you got get my sisters? I need to talk to Edmund for a moment," said Peter. Rebecca nodded, and did as she was told. Peter motioned for Edmund to take the seat the Rebecca had held before. "Ed, I wanted to thank you for helping earlier, you know what you are doing just as much as I do, and I really need you. Did you by any chance manage to see where the other 10 went?"

"I'm sorry Peter, I didn't, they just, well, vanished, when Rebecca messed up." When saying the last part, Edmund slowed down, and then looked at his feet.

"Ed, are you alright?" asked Peter, concerned for his brother.

"Yes, it's just, when Rebecca remembered the witches memories, it-it scared me a little, that's all," said Edmund.

"Oh, memories can be scary, especially ones you hoped never to remember," said Peter trying to comfort him.

"No, I mean it really bothered me to think, to know that the witch is still alive and acting." said Edmund, worried and confused.

"Oh, I can't see how that's a very good thing. I am sorry that you were caused this pain, I'm just glad that you aren't hurt further," said Peter, being very kind with Edmund, who usually annoyed him more then words can say. How ever, the brotherly moment was broken when the girls rushed in.

"Oh Peter, thank g-d you're alright!" exclaimed Susan, rushing to his side. Lucy just ran in and hugged him tightly. "Lu, be careful, Peter's having a painful week," Susan reminded.

"I don't mind, it doesn't hurt, you can cling if you like Lu, I'm just glad to see you all," said Peter kindly. The family talked, and celebrated as though being re-united after a long separation. Rebecca stood in the door, realizing for the first time how close the Pevensies really were. She felt a bit left out, but smiled at the joy that the rest of them were feeling.

Once they had been talking for about 10 minutes, Susan looked over her shoulder, and smiled at Rebecca. "Rebecca, why don't you come over here and talk with us, after all, you're as good as family now," Susan was more cheerful then Rebecca had ever seen her, and she was warmer with Rebecca then every before. Rebecca nodded, and walked over to the bed where Lucy was in Peter's lay, Edmund in the chair, and Susan was sitting beside Peter. Standing across from Peter and Susan, Rebecca met Peters deep grey/blue eyes for just a moment, smiled shyly, and turned to Susan. _I could be lost in those eyes forever! _Thought Rebecca, worriedly, but happy at the same time. Falling for a King of a magical land was not something that she had ever planned on, and she was pretty sure that it wasn't a good idea. _I'm as good as family now, but what about my family? What family? I don't have a family, just foster people, who don't care about me. Even if they noticed I'm gone, the probably don't care. _Rebecca was suddenly hit with a pang of longing for a real family. For the rest of the time spent at Peter's bed side, she acted happy, and she was, but she was also confused and scared.


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N And another chapter is up.**_

After a while, the excitement of the effective ritual had died down. Lucy had gone out to visit Mr. Tumnus, Edmund was working on his strategies for the impending battle, and Susan was riding around Narnia with Oreius. Peter lay in his room alone reading up on the spell that had been placed on 13 unfortunate beings. _It says here that if the person screws up once, all of the other beings will be released, and anyone that the memory involves will directly feel it, but it doesn't mean the ritual won't still work. If it happens twice, same as one, but the ritual wont work, three times, the person performing it dies, and if a stand in comes, and it happens again, everyone present dies, except for the 10 other beings. Well, that explains it I guess, but the witch can still be released, meaning the war isn't going to go away. _Peter was pleased that nothing more had gone wrong, and he was sure it was only a couple of days until his strength came back, and then the real thinking could begin.

Peter closed the book, sighed, and fell back onto the bed. He didn't really want to think about the impending war, but he didn't have much choice. Starting tomorrow, the war was all he was going to have to think about. Squeezing his eyes shut, Peter tried to block out visions of the ritual, and when he opened his eyes again, he found that all that did was make his sight fuzzy. Seeing fuzzy was not what Peter wanted, so he closed his eyes again, this time much more gently, and tried to get a vision of something else, like the river at night, to pop into his head. Instead there came the sight of Rebecca, her long brown hair and dark blue dress flowing. Her deep green eyes set the dress off nicely, but she was fairly ordinary looking other then that.

Back at home Peter had liked a few girls, but it was mainly because their looks caught his attention, he had never really gotten to know them. Rebecca was a change of pace for him in that sense. Susan had boys chasing her since the day she turned thirteen, she seemed to fit the definition of Classic Beauty, even to some of Peter's friends. The romantic involvements in the Pevensie household had been none for Peter, Lucy, and Edmund, and Susan had had one boyfriend for a couple weeks once. Not too much for the two teenagers, but it seemed like plenty. Until now, Peter had little interest in a girlfriend, and he definitely had never felt so strange before._ Maybe I was wrong before, I'll be thinking about the war, and my feelings. _

Peter's thoughts were interrupted by a soft knocking on the door. "Come in!" said Peter, not knowing who it was, but not really caring either.

"How are you feeling?" asked Rebecca, entering the room. "I came to see if you needed anything," she said.

"No, I'm fine, thanks for the thought," said Peter, sitting up.

"Alright, well, if you need anything, let me know about it, and I'll do what I can," said Rebecca, closing the door.

"Wait, um, please don't go, I'm kind of lonely, and, um, pretty bored, so I would like it if you would please, well, uh, keep me company for at least a little while," said Peter, once again stumbling over his words. "Here, you can sit in the chair, which we should probably just put your name on, talk to me, and save me from the boredom of lying here alone all day," said Peter, trying to get a smile out of her, and it worked quite well.

"Alright, but only because you are the high king!" Rebecca joked, taking the chair next to the smiling Peter. _G-d, I've never really felt this way before, I'll just try to act naturally. _

"Oh, well, I wouldn't really want you to feel obligated, I look upon you as my friend, and I hope that you view me the same way," retorted Peter, half joking, half serious. _Yeah, and I'm getting to the point where I want to be more then friends! _Thought Peter.

"Well, I would definitely say that I see you as a friend, I mean, you have saved my life countless times, and you're nice! What's there not to be friends with?" said Rebecca.

"Oh, plenty, plenty, just ask Susan, Lu, and Ed, they'll give a list of my faults so long that you could spend all day listening, and they wouldn't be done," said Peter, joking, but deep down inside, he knew that between the three of them, they probably could.

"Oh, well, everyone has their little…imper…fections," Rebecca was speaking, and suddenly she noticed the way Peter was looking at her. It caught her by surprise, and she slowed to a stop. To her, he looked so handsome sitting there, his hair a mess, and his eyes misty. She needed a moment to catch her breath, but she didn't get the chance. Both of them were swept away by each other, and before either of them knew what was happening, Peter had pulled Rebecca into his arms, and they shared another passionate kiss. This time, however, they didn't stop when they realized what they were doing, and when they broke apart, they were both smiling.


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N ok, here's another chapter, please enjoy it, things are going to start focusing more on the war and the relationship between Peter and Rebecca, i promise, soon. **_

_**Your Author in Training, **_

_**havah**_

Peter wasn't full out grinning, but he had a nice smile on his face. Rebecca was blushing, and she had a very thin smile on. "Well, um…that was, well, why does this keep happening?" asked Rebecca after a few minutes of thinking. This was the 2nd time that they have kissed accidentally; maybe it wasn't quite as accidental this time.

"I don't really know, it just seems to, I-"Peter stopped himself before he could ramble on about nothing. Rebecca looked both amused, and slightly pained. "Are you alright?" asked Peter, switching to concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just don't think that I should be doing this, I mean, you're the high king of Narnia, and I almost killed you, a couple of times!" Said Rebecca, putting great emphasis on Peter's status as king.

"I am the high king, but not by anything short of being born a human, and happening to enter Narnia, I didn't earn this, I'm no more a king then you are a queen," said Peter. He didn't want to loose Rebecca, as a friend, or anything else. There was an attraction between them that he didn't want to loose. "Besides, I kissed you, you didn't just kiss me!" Peter realized the truth in this, and he wanted to make it known to her that he cared.

"Yes, well, I think that you deserve to be king. You are brave, and you love Narnia. You earned, you just don't see it I guess. I'm sorry if I'm becoming angry, it's just that, well, this is a whole new experience for me." Rebecca smiled at Peter, and giggled shyly at having admitted her lack of romantic experience.

"Oh, and you think I have had an experience like this? I have nothing to compare this to. Every since coming to Narnia nothing has been the same, and when I go back home, it's still going to be different," said Peter, for the first time mentioning returning to his home.

"You plan on leaving Narnia? When? How?" asked Rebecca. She had never really planned on leaving, but without Peter and the other Pevensies was there really any point to staying?

"Well of course I do, but not until I get much older here," said Peter.

"Wait, but it won't be odd to have grown up in Narnia, then go home fully grown, and live as an adult in the human world?" asked Rebecca, not quite sure of how this worked.

"No, when I go back I'll still be young," said Peter, he knew from Lucy's experiences that no time has passed while they are in Narnia, so he knew that he could back and be young again, kind of live two lives.

"How?" asked Rebecca. All of a sudden it hit Peter, Rebecca didn't know that they weren't losing any time here.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think that you wouldn't know, no time at all is passing at home while we are here. When we go back, it will be as though we never left," explained Peter, trying hard not to sound rude.

"Oh, well, that's a bit confusing, but I guess that it makes sense. May I ask, what if one of us were to die here?" asked Rebecca, wondering what would happen then, and also if they went back, would they loose their feelings for each other?

"If you die here, it will be as though you never existed in the other world. The only people who will remember you are the ones in Narnia that have gone back to the human world. We will remember all of our experiences still," explained Peter. _We will also remember our feelings from Narnia! _Thought Peter, the same thing on his mind as Rebecca's. "You could come back with us when we go, I guess, and then we could help you find your fa- foster parents," said Peter, catching himself before he mentioned family.

"I don't want to go back to my foster family. I think that I'm going to stay here, and die here when the time is right," said Rebecca, there was no one outside of Narnia who cared about her, in fact, she was pretty sure that Peter was the first person who had ever really looked inside of her.

"Why? You could have another life, another chance, and a whole bunch of advanced knowledge. We will probably do quite well when we re-enter the human world, as long as we keep our experience on the quiet side, and don't flaunt our knowledge," said Peter. When they got back to the human world, they would have the knowledge of Narnian adults.

"I don't have anyone outside of Narnia that cares about me. I'm just a nuisance for a bunch of social workers and foster families. Unlike you, I have no siblings, no friends, no home and I'm, never mind," said Rebecca, stopping before she said to much, she revealed enough of what she was thinking already, too much would be bad.

"I'm sure that someone cares for you, besides, if you went back with us, you would have four friends, Lu, Ed and Susan like you, and I think you can probably tell that I care for you," said Peter. "You could either live with us, or with the Professor that we are staying with. I think that he has been to Narnia before. He is very nice, he has been watching over us while the war is going on, and I don't think that he would mind having you for at least until we go home, and I dare say our mother wouldn't mind having you."

This was the first time that Rebecca had felt that someone actually cared what her life was going to be like. She couldn't even begin to express how much she would like going to live with the Professor or the Pevensies, but she didn't want to sound eager, for there were other reasons that she couldn't go back, and anything could still happen in Narnia.. They still had a war to fight, and wars kill, just like in the human world. "I wouldn't want to be any trouble, but I will think about it. We still have a war to fight," said Rebecca.

"Oh, may I ask you something about the war?" asked Peter

"Yes, of course," said Rebecca.

"I don't want Lucy to fight in any battles, because we need at least one of to live and go back to mother. I want you to look after her, and if I die, and especially if Ed, Susan and I all die, I want you to take her back home. I want you to go live with mother and Lu. Can you promise me to do that?" asked Peter.

"You mean to say that I am not to fight in the battle?" asked Rebecca, both relieved and hurt. She wasn't very able, or ready to fight, but she didn't want Peter to think that she was weak.

"I don't want you, or Ed or Susan or Lu to fight, because I care about you to much. Ed and Susan have minds of their own, and there's nothing that I can do about them, but Lu will understand, and I really want her to have someone. It's not that I don't think that you are capable," said Peter, reading Rebecca's mind, "It's just that I don't want anyone to be alone, and I want Lu to go back home, even if I can't go with her." As Peter finished, Rebecca understood even further the deep caring that Peter was capable of giving.

"I promise you that I will, at all costs, even death, look after Lucy. Please though, in war, be careful, don't leave her, or me, alone," said Rebecca.

"You will not be alone if you have each other. I will try to win, and to survive, but I will do what I must for Narnia." Peter knew his duty, and as much as he wanted to live, and go back home, he knew that there was a strong chance that that would not happen.


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N Here ya go**_

The very next day, Narnia started preparing for the war, well, at least Peter, Edmund, Mr. Tumnus, and Oreius met to discuss major factors of it. Lucy wasn't there because she was too young to really be able to sit down and have a long discussion about anything, Peter would fill her in on the details later, and Susan had said she and Rebecca needed to get to know each other. Peter didn't understand why they didn't just do it later, but Susan insisted that they do it just then. _Girls, _thought Peter. _They are never going to make any sense to me. _So it ended up just being the four of them.

While the war factors were being discussed, Susan and Rebecca went for a walk. Susan had this special way of making Rebecca very nervous. Maybe it was because she was Peter's sister, and maybe it was because she seemed to have something against Rebecca. At first, they walked in silence, side by side, Rebecca trying not to be nervous, and Susan thinking of the appropriate thing to say. "So, how are you feeling?" Susan asked Rebecca.

"I'm feeling much better thank you, and yourself?" Rebecca asked.

"I'm becoming quite worried. With both wars going on, our family is becoming stretched around with thoughts of both worlds. Quite honestly, however, that is not the worst of my fears. I am beginning to fear for the well-being of Peter. What do you think of him? Honestly," asked Susan, trying not to sound rude, or overpowering.

"I think that he is very kind, very brave, and quite a good king. He is very devoted to his subjects, and the well being of Narnia, and especially the well-being of his family," said Rebecca, doing her very best to sound diplomatic about the situation, and not personal.

"Is that all?" asked Susan, as though reading Rebecca's mind, or maybe her face. "You don't find there to be anything…else…about him?"

"N-no, I respect him deeply, and I hope that you are not upset by me," said Rebecca, noting a tone of anger in Susan's speech. They walked in more silence for a bit, while Susan thought about how to word her concern. Rebecca was worried that Susan may know about how she felt about Peter, and what had happened between them.

"I should probably just be blunt with you. As I have been watching you two, both together, and separately, you seem to be rather, attracted, I think is the right word, to each other. He looks at you in a way that I have never seen, and you, well, you look at him like a girl who likes a boy. What I would really like to know is, what do you like about him, and how much do you like him?" Susan came out straightforward and startled Rebecca a little bit. She had not been prepared to answer something this personal, and slightly secret, so soon.

"I, um, I find your brother very nice, and handsome, and there is just something about him that makes me feel different. It is not like having a small crush on a boy from school, where you stay away, but giggle with your friends. When I am around him, I feel safe, and comfortable, as if I could tell him anything, and everything, except for how I feel about him." After hearing Rebecca's statement, Susan stopped walking for a moment, and looked at Rebecca.

"I want you to be careful, Rebecca. If you really like Peter, please be kind to him, for I believe that he likes you to. If you do not like him any more then an average crush, I recommend that you tell him this. Either way, I must ask to not break his heart, and not terminate his focus from the wars." Susan gave her response in a slightly more angry tone than she had been using earlier. It was as though it took all of her courage not to tell Rebecca to back off and leave her brother alone. If Rebecca had been able to read Susan's thoughts, she would have known that Susan was thinking about why she had just said what she had, and what it was about Rebecca that seemed so dangerous. Was it that Rebecca might just be the person, who in a few years could take her brother away from her? Or was it that Rebecca seemed like someone who steal his heart, and then break it? Or finally, was it that there was still something about Rebecca that made Susan think she wasn't telling them the whole truth, or maybe not even half of it.

"To be honest with you, I am not yet sure how I feel about your brother. I do not know if I like him more then reason, or if this is a passing feeling. From what you have said, and the way that you have delivered it, it sounds as though you would like to me to steer clear of Peter. If that is what you want, I will. Right here, right now, I promise not to see Peter when you, Lu, or Ed are not present. I will also try to avoid any more conversation during those times than reason. When I say this, it is because I want the best for Narnia, and for the four of you." Rebecca felt something in her jolt as she made this resolution. It felt as though something inside her wasn't working properly, but she couldn't quite place it. Susan, on the other seemed both pleased and anguished.

"I do not want you to hurt my brother in anyway, so if this is the path that you wish to take, I have no qualms." Susan was trying not to be too hay about what she had done, but a part of her felt truly rotten. She had only said these things because she was worried for Peter's safety in the war, and for the safety of his heart. _Per haps I should have told her to back off only until the war has ended, or perhaps I still should tell her this. _"Rebecca, I do not wish to cause you, or Peter any pain, emotionally, or physically. I think that maybe you should wait until the war is through, and decide what to do with your feelings. What I said was wrong, and I wish that you can forgive me. I also do not wish for you to never see, or talk to Peter privately, I just want you to let him know that it is strictly as friends if it is indeed as friends. Do not lead him on; he doesn't need a broken heart."

Rebecca couldn't really believe what she was hearing, but she smiled, and thanked Susan. The hardest thing would be to think over her feelings for Peter, and decide if they were genuine before something else happened.


	25. Chapter 25

Meanwhile, back at Cair Paravel, a meeting discussing the war was being conducted. Mr. Tumnus, Oreius, Edmund, Peter, The Beaver's, and several other Narnians were discussing what was to take place. "You are sure that this war cannot be prevented?" asked Edmund.

"I don't know if it can be, but I think that fighting is inevitable," said Peter, searching for the right words, but trying to sound like he knew what he was talking about at the same time. Everyone in the meeting sat with their thoughts for a moment before anyone came up with anything to say.

"What do we know about the war so far? Do we even know who we are fighting?" asked one of the Centaur Generals attending.

"We know that we have already been the recipient of several attacks, and that the war is not just against rebels, but powerful and dark magic as well. Magic that makes the war also partially against the witch." Peter realized that he had just released information that for him seemed a given now, but had not been even thought of by most of the other's in the room. His speaking was met by several gasps, and followed by whispers.

"What do you mean by this?" asked a bobcat, after quite a bit of disorganized chatter. Peter had to think quite a bit about what he really meant, and in the end, it was Edmund who spoke up.

"What we mean to say is, the witch left herself behind using magic when she "died." She is in a way possessing 11 beings of Narnia, and we have no idea where any of them are, or really how to defeat them. In case of a battle, the army we fight would probably be similar to that of the witched from the last battle held here." Edmund did quite a good job of explaining the situation, and some of the facts to the audience, which was now silent with shock, and confusion.

"Ed, thank you very much, that was a very accurate telling of the situation. We will have to battle against the White Witch's Army once more in order to save Narnia." Peter was becoming more and more concerned about his lack of qualifications as leader, and about the mystery, and secretive state of the war. He didn't know how the magic worked, he didn't know why it worked, and he didn't know its power.

"Have we any proof that there is actually going to be war? Could this all be one giant misunderstanding? We just fought!" shouted an enraged dwarf.

"Yes, yes, we know that we have just fought, and we know that it is not the desired course of action in most cases. However, in this case, there is nothing else that can be done to stop this magic from taking hold of us all, or releasing the witch again when we are weak." Oreius jumped in to save Peter the hit of the unsure subjects he was serving. Telling them wisely that this was the only way to go might calm them down, at least a little bit. Narnia was familiar with Oreius, and didn't question his assurance of the necessity of the war.

"And what of Aslan? Will he be joining us in this fight?" asked the dwarf.

"I, I don't know. We have not yet heard from him, which means he either knows not of the war yet, is not coming at all, or is coming, but hasn't been able to contact us. We hope that he will stand beside us in our fight," Peter had had the great lion on his mind a little bit earlier, but had no idea if he was coming. Inside, he hoped that he would. He didn't really think that he was ready to lead Narnia to war. The last time this had happened, he had only been there for one battle, that wasn't a war. _Can this be done without him? _Peter wondered to himself, asking the same question that was racing through the minds of everyone in the room.

"We need to get to a business more then questioning the legitimacy of our leaders, and our decision to go to war. It is no the time to focus on the action that must be taken in order to win this war. Everyone must always be on their guard, magic is a powerful thing, and we wouldn't want it to surprise attack you. Also, we must somehow fond a good time to attack, where they will not be expecting us, and we need to be prepared to be attacked all of the time." Oreius was filling people in on some of the things that were necessary while Peter was alone with his thoughts of war and Rebecca.


	26. Chapter 26

The next few days passed in a blur for both Rebecca and Peter. Nothing else significant happened, except for a lot of thinking. Rebecca thought about what Susan had said, and Peter was thinking about preparing for the war, and shoved away in the back of his mind, but still there, his confusion over his feelings for Rebecca. Following what Susan had said, Rebecca stayed as far away from Peter as it was possible living in the same house. During dinner, she sat as far diagonally across from him as she could without having to add a second table. _This is quite a bit harder then I thought it was going to be. I have avoided people very easily before; then again, I didn't live them. You see them all around, walking through a corridor, eating a meal, and walking around the grounds. _Thinking was quickly becoming the main past time of Rebecca and the four Pevensies.

Dinner time was the hardest for everyone. It was a time, a meal, where everyone had to attend, not like breakfast or lunch, where food was just pulled out of the kitchen and consumed. Everyone sat down together, and ate together, the tension at the table was so thick some nights, that Ed and Lucy could tell something was wrong. Rebecca would steal a look at Peter, Susan would give a quick look to Rebecca, and then Peter would look up, Lu would laugh, and Ed would groan. Other nights, it would just be total silence, and everyone would eat as quickly as possible, and then leave. _Why has it gotten so awkward around here? Silence all of the time, glances from the corner of an eye, maybe a smile here and there, maybe not. This war has really taken its toll on us, it brought trouble for all of Narnia, but it brought Rebecca. How do I feel about here? I wonder all of the time; I am drawn to her, I can't stay away from her, but I can't go near her. _These thoughts came to Peter's mind once again at dinner one night, when all was silent, and everyone was taking turns looking at each other.

"Peter, can I come in?" asked Susan one day when Peter was in the library late studying strategy.

"I can't stop you, it's a public room," said Peter, concentrating more on a map of Narnia. Susan looked slightly aggravated, but entered none the less.

"Well, I came solely to talk to you, and you could tell me to leave you alone," said Susan advancing closer towards Peter.

"You might as well say what you came to say then," said Peter, still pouring over the map, lost in thought.

"I noticed you stealing looks at Rebecca at dinner tonight is there more there then meets the eye?" asked Susan, both tauntingly and suspiciously.

"Nothing more then a friendship," lied Peter, which was easy to do as he was lost in thought. _Yeah right it's just a friendship, _he thought later. _We've already kissed twice. _

"Ah, well, make sure that you don't-," Peter stopped Susan before she could finish.

"I've heard this from you, you don't control my life, I'll do what I want, and I think I'll start seeing Rebecca more, just to spite you!" Peter lashed out in sudden anger. He was angry at always being romantically advised by Susan, at having her tell him what to do. "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to work on this, and you were getting a big on the nagging side."

"Yes, I was, but I don't regret it. I know that you have heard what I was about to say, but its good advice Peter. We still don't know who she really is."

"Yeah? Well, let me tell you what we do know, she's not a bad person, she was possessed, that's not her fault," Peter defended Rebecca.

"I realize that she is not as bad as I originally suspected, but we still don't know." Susan was beginning to rise in anger as Peter argued with her.

"You mean YOU don't know? I have talked to her reasonably. She is perfectly fine; she just comes from a bit of an iffy background. Again not her fault."

"Peter, what is wrong? You have not been acting yourself lately!" Susan touched Peter on the arm to comfort him.

"I'm just really stressed out, and with the war going on an all, I don't really have too much time to myself to think about it."

"Ah, yes, well, there is so much to think about right now, and there is so little time, I am sorry that I was hard on you, but you understand." Susan used a much nicer tone when she spoke with Peter now.

"No, actually, I don't understand why you attack Rebecca so much; you are so hard on her."

"Maybe I just don't know when to start trusting people, I will try, if you want me to, to be nice to her, and more accepting." Susan gave Peter a little smile.

"If you could, that would be wonderful, thanks Su." Peter smiled gravely at her.

"You haven't called me Su in forever!" said Susan, rather flustered.

"I know, and I won't again for a while longer."


	27. Chapter 27

**_A/N Ok, so i didnt get any review on my last chapter, which means that my story is going down the tubes, but here's another chapter anyway, and if i must say, it's not quite as boring as the past fea. Beware haters of romance._**

**_ Havah_**

Peter awoke in the middle of the night to soft sobs that he somehow knew were Rebecca's. Sighing he got up to see what was the matter. The sigh was not because he was fed up, but because he felt for the feelings of Rebecca, and didn't like to see her sad. He walked down the hall and knocked on Rebecca's door. Rebecca sniffled, but ignored his knock.

"Becca, may I come in please?" there was still no answer from her room. "If you don't answer I'm coming in weather you like it or not!" Peter was beginning to get worried and little bit agitated. _All I want to know is that she's ok. Well, and that she loves me. NO! I can never ask anyone to admit something that's not even true when I'm not brave enough to admit it myself. It's wrong, and Susan would kill me for loving Rebecca. Aw forget Susan! She's not in charge, and as far as I'm concerned, she knows nothing about love. Oh well, it doesn't matter, even without Susan I could never admit it. _Peter sighed. "I'm coming in now!" Peter opened the door and entered.

Rebecca sat on her bed with her covers pulled up around her, and she was holding a pillow case held to her eyes catching her tears. Peter went to her, sat down beside her, and automatically put his arm caringly around her shoulder. Instinct taking over, Rebecca shied away from the touch she longed for. She couldn't explain it, she just did. Hurt burned inside Peter. He wanted to be close to her, he wanted to be with her forever, but he didn't know how to tell her. _This is not good, I should go. _But he couldn't go. Tearing himself away from felt like the hardest thing. Leaving would mean giving into Susan, and to deny his passions.

"Rebecca, you can trust me, tell me what's wrong," Peter attempted putting his arm around her again. This time, Rebecca responded in a more pleasant manner. She tilted her head in, and rested it on Peter's shoulder. You can speak whenever you feel ready. Just let me say once again, you can trust me." Rebecca and Peter just sat there for a few minutes, silently, and pleasantly. For just a moment, Rebecca's fears, and tears subsided, but the feeling of her head on Peter's shoulder recalled them

"I know that I can trust you, but this is something you don't want to hear," stated Rebecca nervously.

"I don't care if I don't want to hear it, I need to, if not just to take the burden off of your shoulders, tell me."

"I-I just had the same dream that I've been having again, and again."

"Can you tell me what that dream is?" asked Peter gently and caringly.

"Its-its you, being killed in battle. Oh my g-s, I'm so afraid that it's going to really happen. I see you being stabbed, but I can't see by who, and then you fall. It's not blatantly clear that you are dead, but I can just tell, it couldn't be clearer. I can't stand it! Please, don't go to fight! I care about you too much to lose you. You can't die on me, or Susan, or Ed, or Lu! We all need you!" Rebecca cried heavily into Peter's shoulder. "Oh no! I've gotten your pajama top all wet, I'm sorry!" exclaimed Rebecca apologetically after a few minutes.

"Oh, don't worry about it, it's not important. Please try to understand, I have to fight, there's nothing that can be done about it. Narnia needs me, and I care dearly about my family, but it's my duty," There was an awkward silence while Peter thought if now maybe was a good time to admit feelings. He felt Rebecca's head on his shoulder, her tears seeping through and chilling his skin. "I also, um, care, deeply about you, and I wish that I could stay here with you all, but fighting is necessary, and if I'm not there, it doesn't really feel right. What I mean to say is, um, I really, really like being around you, and I, um, well, here, let me put it this way." Peter pulled Rebecca up towards him, and kissed her fiercely, passionately, and with all of the feeling and emotion he could muster.

After the one kiss, there were more, but only a couple. It took both Rebecca and Peter a bit of time to realize what they were doing. When they broke apart, both were stunned. It had been a while since they had last kissed, and it seemed to get more and more passionate each time. "Well, I guess there's no backing out now, I might as well say, Rebecca, I'm pretty sure I love you." Peter bit his bottom lip, not quite sure whether to regret his decision or not.

Different feelings filled Rebecca. She didn't know whether to be filled with joy for his confession and identical feelings, or sad because she knew it was all going to end soon. "I don't know what to say. This is all fairly sudden. Huh, this isn't giving me very much time to think. Well, I guess you should know a few things. I feel the same way Peter. I love you, I also think that it is inevitable that you are going to die, or at least be seriously injured. I hate to bring down a crash on a situation like this, but this is such a vivid dream, I, I think that we need to be careful for your life." Rebecca stumbled over her words, trying to be both caring and reasonable.

"Rebecca, even if I am going to die, I still love you, that doesn't change. We can just spend every possible moment together. That is, if you want to." Peter stuttered a bit, but he finally felt good to be expressing his true feelings. He was feeling so much inside of himself, and all he wanted to do was pull Rebecca close to him, embrace her, kiss her, and never let her go, but he didn't know if she wanted the same thing.

"Just hold me, please, only for a moment." Rebecca began to break down from all of the emotion and power of the moment. Peter did as she asked, willingly. He pulled her close to him, into a warm, long embrace. They stood there, holding each other for a short moment, and then neither could stand it any longer. Without any thought, they began to kiss passionately. "Peter, I'm yours, if you want me," said Rebecca honestly during an air break. " I love you, and I want to be close to you. No, I need to be close to you."

"Becca, you know that I love you too, and I want to be close to you. If I am really going to die, then I need you too." Peter and Rebecca slowed down their kissing to a stop, until they were standing opposite each other. Rebecca placed her hands on Peter's shoulders as Peter placed his around her waist. _This is really awkward. I don't know what I'm doing. Should we even be doing this? Oh g-d, but I feel so greatly for her. _Peter discarded his thoughts momentarily, and between the two of them, and quite a bit of awkward time, they achieved the removal of Peter's shirt, and they were beginning on Rebecca's nightdress, when Peter stopped. "This is wrong. I'm not doing this, no here, not now." Peter fell to a sitting position on his bed, holding his shirt in his hand. Rebecca plopped down next to him.

"I know what you mean. I want to be close to you, but not that close, not now." Rebecca and Peter shared a moment where they just sat and smiled at each other. "But that doesn't mean that we can't be close."

"I'm not sure I entirely get what you mean by that," said Peter, confused, but hoping that it meant she wasn't angry.

"What I mean is, we can still, well, hold each other, and, you know, talk and…stuff," said Rebecca, quite awkwardly.

"Let's just hold each other right now." Peter suggested the least awkward, most logical and pleasant action for the situation. This, they did. Rebecca fell asleep in the warmth and security of Peter's arms.


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N Thank you guys for all of the reviews! Heres the next chappie.**_

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**Havah**_

Peter held her close to him as they slept. Both of them woke up several times during the night, but neither wanted to get up, or break the embrace. Rebecca felt extreme security in his arms, and she knew that as long as she was with him, she was safe. She felt as though nothing could harm her, nothing could bother her, or scare her, except for the impending death of Peter. This is the event that kept waking them both up. The dream did not revisit that night in her sleep, but every time she closed her eyes she saw Peter fall. Not wanting to see this, she kept her eyes open until she was too tired too. On the other hand, Peter kept thinking about Rebecca's plea not to fight. He already knew that he didn't want to fight, that he didn't want Susan and Ed to fight either, the danger to the well being of his family was just too high. All he wanted was to keep his family safe, and Narnia safe; he didn't want to lose his family, or to die himself, but he also didn't want to lose Narnia.

_It is my duty to protect Narnia, but it is also my duty to protect my family. The only person here whose life I have not been told I am responsible for is mine. Mother said to keep Susan, Ed, and Lu safe, and Aslan told me it is my duty to protect, and rule, Narnia, no one ever told me to look out for myself. _Peter's thoughts troubled him, but he managed to get back to sleep somehow. Though he did not dream, he slept poorly, awaking many times with the same thoughts of family and duty. Rebecca awoke only when Peter moved, or shivered, and then only for a minute or too, not letting Peter know he had woken her.

_I wonder what's wrong. I keep feeling him shiver, or his muscles tense up, and I can't help but wonder what he's thinking. Caring so much for someone can be painful, and I want to prevent his death, but I can't. He is making me feel so secure right now, all I want is for him to feel the same safety that I am. _Rebecca was close to tears just thinking about the state of Peter's life, how it must be tumbling down in front of him. _Maybe telling him was the wrong thing to do, beginning him to stay was wrong. My actions were very off, and for them I am causing Peter pain, something I never meant to do. _She rested her head in the crook of Peter's arm, and lay here until sleep came.

All through the night, this continued, waking, and then falling asleep again. By the time the sun came up, neither had gotten more then five hours of sleep. At about 7:30, Peter awoke for once and for all. He released his embrace on Rebecca, casing her to stir, and open her eyes. She watched silently as he walked towards the window in the back of the room. His thoughts consumed him as he stood still, staring, almost as though under hypnosis, out of the window. It had been almost ten minutes, and he hadn't moved, when Rebecca stood and walked over to him. As she stood next to him, she silently took his hand, and followed his gaze, looking out upon a beautiful, clear day, with the sun shining over a green Narnia. "It's beautiful," whispered Rebecca after several minutes.

"It is, isn't it? You know, I never really noticed the beauty or Narnia before a couple weeks ago. In the winter, it was nice, at first, but not for long. Once the snow melted to spring, I was too caught up in the battle to notice anything" said Peter. "In fact, now that I really look at it, it's almost as beautiful as you are." Peter let go of her hand, wrapped harm around her shoulder, and pulled her in closer to his side. Rebecca was stunned. She had never been told she was beautiful, that she could recall, at any time in her life.

"T-thank you, but I think you're wrong." Rebecca smiled shyly to herself.

"You can't judge your own beauty very well then. I think that you are beautiful, no matter what anyone else thinks." Peter felt relieved that he didn't have to hide his feelings anymore, relieved that for the first time he could be open with someone who wasn't his family.

"Well, thank you very much," Rebecca smiled pleasantly at Peter, and then looked back towards the view of Narnia. _That is the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me. I cannot believe that I am finally beginning to feel special, and the person making me feel this way is probably going to die soon. _"You know what? No one has ever gone to any trouble at all to make me feel special in any way. You are the first person that has actually made me feel like I was worth anything, thank you for that. Also, I wanted to say that you are an amazing person, and I want you to know that whatever happens, that's not going to change, at least not through my eyes, and I plan on staying right beside you every step of this war."

"Thank you, we will need as many people to help with tactics, and strategy, and all other aspect leading to what we hope is a single, final, battle." Peter put on a more diplomatic manner of speech for a minute.

"No, Peter, I am going to fight beside you. Whatever happens, I'm with you until the end, I love you." Rebecca was dead serious about what she was saying, and she didn't care what the risk was. Peter stood in shock for a moment.

"Becca, you can't do that, I mean, you, do you even know how to fight? In any manner? I need you to stay with, and protect Lucy, like you promised you would." Peter was worried that Rebecca was serious, and he didn't want her life at risk like that.

"Someone else can protect Lucy, she is a great girl, and aside from looking out for herself, she knows how to be careful and follow directions given by anyone that is responsible. What I'm not so sure of is if someone can protect you, and in case no one else can, I want to try, and if I can't save you, like you saved me, I, I want to be there, when it all ends, if you know what I mean. And no, I don't know how to fight, but I can learn, at least a little bit from Susan, or someone else," Rebecca was making herself more and more clear, and it was blatantly clear that she was serious. Peter squeezed her shoulder tightly, and placed his other arm loosely around her waist.

"I would feel much better if you would stay with people that can keep both you and Lucy safe, but I'm not going to be the one to stop you if it is what you think you need," Peter was both worried, and pleased because she cared about him enough to risk her own life to be near him.

"Well, I'll think about it, but for now, let's just start the day, and act naturally like nothing has happened between us." Rebecca was quite worried, because she didn't know what Susan would think if she knew about her and Peter. Only seconds later, there was a knock on the door.

"Rebecca, are you awake? It's Susan."

"Yeah, I'm awake," answered Rebecca, Peter stood silent and still. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I think so, can I come in for a minute?" asked Susan. "I need to talk to you."

"Well, um, now's not a great time for me, do you want to come back in about 10 minutes?" asked Rebecca.

"Well, alright, but have you seen Peter? He's not in his room, and I've been looking for him everywhere, and I'm beginning to get worried." Rebecca didn't know what to say. She didn't want Susan to worry, but she didn't want Susan to know that Peter was in there, this wasn't a good situation to be seen in, even if it wasn't what it looked like.

"Oh, yeah, he said something about going for a walk a little while ago. He should be back soon, don't worry about it, he didn't want to wake you, and I was already up." Rebecca looked at Peter as he mouthed the situation that would seem the most like him to her. She did all that she could to keep from laughing, and giving them up to Susan.

"Oh, thank you very much, I'll come back up in a few minutes." Peter and Rebecca heard Susan's footsteps getting more and more faint, and they both broke out laughing. They were both met with a nasty shock, however, when only a minute later, the door opened, and Lucy entered.


	29. Chapter 29

"May I ask, what is going on in here? " Lucy looked shocked. She didn't know much about romance, but she did know that this didn't look good. Her mouth was open just a little, and Peter and Rebecca could see her confusion. The two of them stood there, not quite sure how to explain this too little Lucy. Their minds were both racing, trying to think of how to get her to A) believe them and B) not tell Susan anything.

"Well, Lu, you see, this isn't what it looks like, I promise you that," said Peter nervously. Lucy looked at him skeptically, then at Rebecca, and then she looked back to Peter. "Lu, please believe me, nothing happened, Rebecca and I were just talking. There's nothing irregular about this." Peter tried his hardest to sound convincing, but he could tell by the look on her face that it wasn't working.

"Peter, I really want to believe you, but if you were just talking, then why is your pajama top lying right there on the floor?" Lucy pointed to the striped shirt lying near the bed in Rebecca's bedroom floor. Rebecca tried not to laugh at the little girl's aloofness; she also resisted the urge to laugh at the look on Peter's face._ Why would Peter be in here, without his shirt on, and clearly lying to me if there was "nothing going on"?_ _Why would he try to hide something if there was nothing to hide?_ Wondered Lucy, as she stared quizzically at Peter and Rebecca.

"Alright Lu, please take a seat, because this could take some time in explaining, but I too promise you that this is not what it looks like." Rebecca spoke for the first time since Lucy entered, and Peter felt his cheeks go red as he realized that Rebecca had made the perfect decision in what to say. Lucy sat down in the center of the bed, prepared for their explanation. Rebecca and Peter sat down on either side of Lucy. Peter put his arm around Lucy's shoulder, gave it a little squeeze, and when she turned to him, he smiled at her. His smile raised her confidence in him, she really wanted to believe him, and Rebecca, but the sight didn't look too promising to her.

"Alright then, what's the deal?" asked Lucy.

"Rebecca and I, we are, alright, before we say anything that we may regret, we need you to promise not to tell anyone what we tell you, not Edmund, not Oreius, not Mr. Tumnus, and especially not Susan, alright?" Peter wanted to make sure that she wouldn't tell anyone, not yet at least. Lucy nodded her agreement, still wanting to trust Peter and Rebecca. "Ok then, Rebecca and I are, well, we're a little bit more then friends, but we weren't, well, you know. Listen Lu, I really, really like her, please don't tell anyone." The last part, Peter whispered to Lucy. Lucy smiled, and giggled a little bit.

"Well, I guess I believe you, but if nothing happened, then why can't I tell Susan, and why was your shirt off?" Lucy laughed a little. Peter sighed quietly, and was about to run his hands nervously through his hair, when he stopped himself, because Lucy knew this to be a sign of nervousness for Peter.

"It was hot in here this morning, and assumed that it couldn't hurt anyone to take it off, it's as simple as that, and about Susan, she doesn't seem to approve too much of any relationship between us, especially at this time. She wants me to be able to focus fully on the impending war, and I understand that, but I can focus on both things, and I really don't think that Susan needs to know right now."

"You see, Lucy, Susan has spoken to both of us, subliminally, in Peter's case, and directly in mine, to stay away from each other." Rebecca offered information to let Lucy know that there was some reason in safeguarding this information from Susan.

"Rebecca is correct in saying that, and as soon as this is all…over…you can tell Susan whatever you want about this, so long as you don't add anything to it. Thank you very much Lu, for being so understanding, but you see, you and I have to go, because Susan was just here, and she is coming back to talk to Rebecca very, very shortly." Peter stood up, pulled on his shirt, and took Lucy's hand. Lucy too stood up, and smiled at Rebecca. "I will see you later," Peter said to Rebecca, as he and Lucy left her room to go to his.

"Peter, can I please talk to you? That's why I came to see Rebecca, I was hoping that maybe she'd seen you recently." Once Lucy and Peter had reached Peter's room, the two of them sat down to talk.

"Lu, what is it? Are you all right?" asked Peter, nothing the slightly nervous look on Lucy's pale face. Again, he put his arm around her to comfort her, but this time, she shied away from him.

"Peter, I'm scared, I don't want to go to war! Edmund told me that my job is to heal, not to hurt, and that I must stay in safety until the end, so that I can heal the others. This I will do, for the sake of others, but I don't want you, and Ed, and Susan to go fight. You almost died last time, and Ed came eve closer. I'm afraid that we-that we may not be quite as lucky this time. I know that you think that I am young, and that I do not pay attention to minor details, but there's something else that you're not telling me. When you said when this is all over, you meant the war, but you slowed down your speaking immensely, and Rebecca's face went rigid. I can't help but think that you know something more about this, and I know that you are unsure of the survival of this family." Lucy let a silent tear run down her cheek, and she wriggled into Peter's arms. Peter squeezed her tight. "Peter, I don't want to go home, but I don't want you to die. You have been a great father, and Susan an excellent mother since we left home, but allowing us all to fight may not be a good idea."

"Lucy, I do want you to stay, and I can ask Ed and Susan not to fight, but that is their choice. The are old enough to make their own decisions, as am I, and I must fight. It is my duty, and as much as I want to make sure that we, as a family, stay together, I cannot in away, guarantee that all of us will make it back through that wardrobe." Lucy's face fell, and she burst in to tears. Peter patted her on the head, and as she cried bitterly, he felt tears rise to his eyes. He tried to blink them away, he didn't want Lucy to know that he was just as worried and scared as she was, but he couldn't keep everything in. For several minutes, Peter held the crying Lucy as he let silent tears fall onto the sleeve of his pajamas. It took Lucy quite a long time to realize that she was not alone in her tears.

"Peter, it's going to be alright, isn't it?" asked Lucy looking up. "You will keep us safe, just like you promised mother you would."

"I am going to do my absolute best to keep everyone in this family safe, and well, and I will be the first one to be injured if it comes to that. Try not to worry, and don't let your concern show, you are very strong, and I know that you can get through this. If you like, Mr. Tumnus can join us for dinner tonight, would you care to invite him?" Peter was putting his best foot forward, and trying be as nice as possible. He smiled when he noticed Lucy's face brighten a little with his offer.

"Thank you Peter, I would like that very much!" Lucy didn't stop crying, not right away, but the tears slowed. She stood, gave Peter a hug, and exited to go and find Mr. Tumnus.


	30. Chapter 30

Rebecca sat up in her bed; her talk with Susan had produced nothing interesting. Susan had simply said that she was sorry for the events of previous days, and that she looked forward to getting to know Rebecca. The thought of that meeting was not the one in her head. The thought that consumed her thoughts was that of the time she spent with Peter the night before. She remembered his kiss, his touch, what they almost did, what they ended up doing, and the way he had acted towards her, allowing her that she could fight beside him, which was all that she really wanted to do. It wasn't until then that it hit her that she meant to ask Susan to teach her how to fight. _Oh well, but I best get her help as soon as possible, _thought Rebecca. Quickly, however, her thoughts melted back towards Peter.

I'm coming in, like it or not!" said a voice from outside. Rebecca jumped, recognizing Peter's voice, and then she smiled, and said that it was fine if he entered. "You know, I said I was coming in whether you like it or not, that I was going to enter, so you don't need to give me permission." Peter did not know what was coming over him lately, but he felt happy, and comfortable now in Rebecca's presence. A side of him that had not been unleashed since before the war back home was pouring out of him, and making him someone that Susan had seen only once, Ed maybe just a little bit, and Lucy never.. Also coming from with in was a side of himself that even he had never known. It was a happiness that was fully active only the presence of Rebecca, and though he was worried for the war and because of Rebecca's dream, his life, he was happy.

"Well, it doesn't matter, you're in here. How are you? Well, I mean you seem great, but other then that, how are things?" asked Rebecca, still showing signs of nerve and tensions in the presence of Peter. This time, however was different. Originally it had been because she was afraid of her feelings for him, now because she feared for his life. For some reason, Rebecca did not feel like playing off of the seriousness of the time. "You probably already knew this, but I am going to fight with you."

"Yes, well, I figured that you would end up choosing too. I got around to thinking about it, and I decided that well, having you there would make the fight easier to bear, and a death situation just the same." Rebecca had the possible death on her mind first, but Peter was the first to mention it. The smile that had a little glow still remaining on her face instantly vanished. Peter saw a look of sadness spread over to her face, and he immediately walked over to her and held her close to him. "It's alright, I'm going to be fine, and we will make it out of this war just as well as the last." He tried his hand at comforting her, though he was not saying what he believed, not entirely.

"I know that you are strong, and that you are a good fighter, and that you have endless bravery, but I can't believe you, somehow there is something in my gut, telling me that I'm seeing what is truly to come." Rebecca tried to stop herself, but couldn't as she broke in to tears.

"Becca, don't cry! Everything will be fine, with me or without me. Susan, and Lucy will not be fighting, and Susan said that she was going to speak to Edmund about staying with them. If I do die, and you remain alive, I want you to g back with them. If I live, I ask you to consider heading back with us, but I will not ask you to if you do not wish to." Rebecca pressed her head into Peter's chest as he spoke. His embrace was warm, but not comforting, not now.

"I-I promise." Peter reached down and wiped the tears off of Rebecca's face. When she kissed him, she felt as if she was one with him, and when he kissed her, he felt as though there were nothing left in the world of Narnia, or the human world except for the two of them.

"Now I know that I have said this before, but I love you, I have never even come close to feeling this way before now. You have made all of the difference in my life, and in just a short amount of time. It is you that has turned my life from something average to something wonderful and special. I would rather die tonight than to live the rest of my life without you." Peter spoke words that he never thought he would, and he meant them. Everything that was pouring out of him right there was completely, and totally genuine feeling for Rebecca.

"I feel the same way Peter, if I had never met you, I would still be no one. I would be lost, I would be lonely, I would be without any meaning in my life, but you are here now. You make me feel strong, and safe." Peter sat down on the bed, and pulled Rebecca right next to him. Suddenly, Rebecca had nothing to say. She wanted this moment to last forever, to never end. All she wanted was to sit there, with his arm around her, and her head on his shoulder, forever. Whether Peter felt the same or not, she didn't know, but either out of respect, loss for words, or of a mutual feeling, he too was pleasantly silent.

"Come on; let's go downstairs, I want to show you something." Peter gently removed his arm from around her shoulder, and stood. Rebecca followed him outside, and into the woods. They walked for miles, and miles, until they reached a section of the river that flowed into a lake. There, in the middle of the lake stood the remains of the Witch's castle. All that was left was the stone foundation, and the trees, though they were now green and full. Rebecca gasped; she had not seen the castle since she was a captive inside, when it was still the endless winter.


	31. Chapter 31

**_A/N I am sorry that this took so long, my internet is giving me issues, so here's another chapter, finally. _**

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**Havah**_

"Peter, why did you bring me here?" asked Rebecca. She wasn't angry, or elated, she was slightly scared, and unsure of what lay ahead, and what Peter's explanation was.

"I dunno, it just struck me as a really beautiful place," said Peter, questioning his reasoning himself a little bit. It hadn't really struck him that she might not want to be back here, ever again. "I am so sorry; I didn't think that maybe you wouldn't want to come back here." Peter apologized with all if his heart, hoping that she didn't think he was a total fool.

"No, its fine, I'm just a little surprised, that's all." Rebecca was not lying to Peter, but she was scared, and she didn't really want to be there. She would settle for anywhere, well, almost anywhere, as long as she could just be by his side. _I love being with him, but can this work out? He is royalty, and I am trouble, I don't even know how to get back. _For the first time, the thought crossed Rebecca's mind that this relationship had very low chances of survival, even if Peter lived.

"Are you sure? If you would like to go somewhere else, we can leave, I just couldn't think of anywhere else to come, and I like it here. I come up here a lot actually." When Peter went on a walk, it was usually up to this castle. He couldn't explain why he was so drawn to it, but he always managed to lead himself right to it when he went on destination-less walks around Narnia. It took a very, very long time to get there, but it was worth it to him. "It's all up to you, I'm open, I just thought maybe you'd want to see what it looked like now."

"I don't have a better place in mind, but I don't have a strong desire to stay here. Could we please just, well, go for a walk?" asked Rebecca, not able to think of a better place to be.

"Yeah, that's fine." Peter agreed with Rebecca's idea. He had been walking a lot lately, so it was no obstacle to him. Rebecca and Peter turned silently from the castle, and walked towards Cair Paravel, but they took a longer route. After about 15 minutes of awkward silence, Rebecca spoke.

"Thank you, I'm sorry about that, it was just, well, a little bit frightening to be honest." Rebecca gave a half smile to Peter, then averted her eyes from his gaze.

"I honestly am sorry, I really didn't think about that." Peter resisted the urge to put his arm around Rebecca, just as she resisted the urge to take his hand. "Are you going to be alright? You look a little worried."

"Oh, I'll be fine, I'm just, I dunno, never mind." Rebecca didn't really know what to say to Peter in explanation. She was still thinking about how no matter what happened, her relationship with Peter was going to end, somehow, some day.

"Well, if you want to talk, you know that I will always listen to you, and you know that I love you. I will hear whatever you have to say." Peter was genuinely willing to listen to anything Rebecca wanted to say, even if it was something that she knew he didn't want to hear.

"Yes, I know that I can trust you, there's just so much going on right now. I know that you know what I mean, and that you must be just as confused with everything as I am. What I can't help wondering is, how are you so casual with the possibility that you are going to die?" asked Rebecca, thinking about how she would react to hearing about how she was going to die, and knowing that she could prevent it, but was choosing not to. _I would be crying all the time, and wondering why I was going to even bother risking it. _

"Do you think that I'm not absolutely terrified? I can't stop thinking about it, among other things, but I try hard not to worry. If it is going to happen, then it was destined to happen. It is my call of duty, my responsibility." Peter felt so good being able to talk to someone, but he didn't want to worry anyone, especially Rebecca.

"I'm really sorry, I half wish that I hadn't told you." Rebecca was honest when she said this.

"I asked you to tell me, and although I may not want to know it, it might be a good thing to know, because now whatever I do leading up to it can put in as much danger as necessary." Peter was clearly trying to make the most out of this, but it still saddened Rebecca. She tried to hide her worry, and her sadness, but something on her face must have shown. "You really do look off, are you sure you're alright?" asked Peter, resisting the urge to hold her no longer. He removed his hand from hers, and put his arm around her waist, giving her that sense of security that his touch gave her.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so worried, mainly about you, I really don't want you to die." Rebecca started crying again, and she didn't try to control it. Peter stopped walking, and pulled her to face him. He gently rushed away her tears, and kissed her softly.

"It's alright, it's going to be fine." Peter tried to comfort Rebecca, and he hoped that she could be comforted by him.

"How can you keep saying that? There is no way that it could be fine, if one thing works out, something else won't." What Rebecca really meant was, _even if you don't die, we aren't going to be together, something else will go wrong. _Peter's words could no longer comfort Rebecca, not those words.

"What can I do to make you believe that things will be ok, somehow, there's a way." Peter pleaded with Rebecca, but to no avail.

"There's nothing, not yet anyway, that anyone could make me believe that things could be alright, nothing will be fine if you're not there." Rebecca tried not to be morbid, or sour, but she knew she wasn't doing a very good job.

"I'm very sorry, but if there's nothing that I can do, just please, try not to think about it. I don't want to worry Susan, Ed, an especially Lu to worry, and if they see you like this, they'll know that something's up." Peter really wanted Rebecca to be happy, and he wanted to keep this situation unknown to his family. It was all so hard, plus the war, and his feelings towards Rebecca. _Why does life have to be so confusing? _Peter wondered, hoping that he would soon be able to sort out everything going on in his life, and make things better for everyone that he cared about.

"I'll keep it from them, I understand you not wanting to bring this feeling upon anyone else." Rebecca spoke this with complete honesty, having felt the repercussions everyday herself.

"Thank you, you have no idea how much I need this to stay hidden from them right now," said Peter. "We should probably start heading back more directly, they are going to start wondering where we went." Rebecca nodded, and the began heading towards Cair Paravel.

"Peter, thank you for listening to me, and making me feel like I actually have someone, for once, that cares about me." Rebecca wanted Peter to know how grateful she was that she had finally found love.

"Thank you for letting me be close to you, you are the first person that has ever had this kind of effect on me. I have never been in love before, and now I am, and it's all new to me," Peter kissed Rebecca again, she smiled, and they continued on their way back to the castle.


	32. Chapter 32

By the time Rebecca and Peter reached Cair Paravel, the sun was going down, melting into a beautiful sunset. They stood together and watched the sunset together for just a few minutes. Rebecca could have watched the beauty for hours, just standing there beside him, her head on his shoulder, but the time was cut short by Edmund approaching them. "It's nearly time for dinner, where have you two been all day?" asked Edmund.

"Oh, we were just exploring the grounds, tell Susan that we'll be ready to eat in just a couple minutes," said Peter, not saying anything else. Edmund just nodded and smiled, he too was beginning to realize that there may be something more going on between Rebecca and Peter. After watching the sun go down for just a minute more, Rebecca and Peter separated, and went inside. Inside, Rebecca saw Susan heading down the hall, and decided to ask her right then if she would teach her how to use a bow.

"Oh, Susan, could I please ask you a question really quickly?" Rebecca walked quickly down the hall to catch p with Susan, who stopped as she heard Rebecca's voice.

"Yeah, sure what do you need?" asked Susan, politely.

"I was wondering, if um, when you had some spare time if you would please teach me how to use a bow and arrow. I heard that you were going to stay behind with Lu, and I figured it might be helpful for me to fight."

"Sure, I can do that, I have some open time tomorrow morning, if you are ready to start then. It's really not too hard."

"Thank you, that would be wonderful. I'll see you at dinner." Rebecca turned back down the hallway, and headed briefly to her room before dinner. That night, dinner was a quick, but lively affair. Everyone was talking to each other about what was going on in life, and how they were all doing. After dinner, nothing really happened, everyone went their separate ways.

The next day, Rebecca met Susan in the front hallway. "First thing we need to do is find a spare bow for you." Susan and Rebecca headed to the armory, where they quickly found a bow of the right size, and a quiver of arrows. Together, they headed towards the target practice area. "Alright, the primary order of business is to string your bow, here, watch." Susan showed Rebecca with her bow. She strung it quickly, and made it look so easy. Rebecca didn't do so well at first, but after several tries, she got it strung.

"Well, I really hope that was the hard part, because if it gets any harder, I'm going to die." Rebecca joked, and Susan smiled.

"Good news, that was the hardest part. Next, you line the arrow up with the grip, and pull back on the string. Then you simply take aim, and let go of the arrow." Susan shot an exemplary shot right into the center of the target.

"You make it looks easy!" said Rebecca, full of admiration for Susan's skill.

"Oh, it really, you try." Rebecca aimed, and released. She didn't hit a perfect shot, her arrow flew to the outer circle of the target. "Good, let's just keep practicing, you'll get better." Susan and Rebecca spent at least an hour working on their shot. Every time, Susan hit the center, Rebecca was not so lucky. She almost always hit the target, but only hit the center a few times. "We should probably be getting back soon, we've been gone for almost two hours."

"Yes, you're probably right, thank you." The girls headed back towards the castle, silently. _Rebecca is definitely hiding something, I don't know what, but she's not acting like she had been. I wonder if it's anything concerning my brother. _Susan was growing more curious as the silence drew on.

"So, how are things going with Peter?" asked Susan.

"What do you mean?" said Rebecca, taken aback, and a little bit worried.

"I mean that I was wondering how your thoughts towards Peter are going, you two both seem to be acting a little bit odd lately."

"We are just friends, nothing else; I don't really know what else to say." Rebecca didn't think that now was the right time to tell Susan that she had made her decision regarding her feelings towards Peter, and that she loved him so much, that nothing else matters.

"Well, I meant if you had thought about how you feel about him in a more-then-friends manner."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it, you have me faced with a very tough decision. I really like your brother, but I don't know if I want to destroy a friendship with any of you, especially Peter." Rebecca told Susan what she could to make Susan believe her, and still cover up their relationship.

"Alright, well, I have been watching Peter closely, and he seems, well, different lately. He has been going out alone a lot, when I look at him, I can see in his eyes that something is going on with him, but I don't know what it is yet. If you know anything, please, do tell me."

"If I may suggest, I believe that the coming war has been on his mind day and night. He has looked tired to me, and I think that he is worried." Rebecca spoke only half of what she knew, but she had good reason to hide the rest from Susan.

"I had thought of that, but I've seen him face war before, and it has never had him so worried, or tired. The war is taking its toll on him, but so is something else." Susan knew Peter better then Rebecca, so there was no use in arguing. She pretended to be oblivious as to what else might be bothering Peter.

"I really don't know, but I could talk to him if you like."

"I'm pretty sure that I know what is bothering him. Rebecca, whether you know it or not, my brother is in love with you. I think that you're breaking his heart without even trying to. If you don't love him, or even like him, I understand, but I retract what I said earlier. If you like him, I want you to tell me, and him, to protect him from a broken heart." Susan slowed her walk to a stop, and turned to speak to Rebecca, showing genuine caring. Rebecca remained silent for a moment, thinking about whether or not to tell Susan the truth about her and Peter.

"You probably have the right to know that I do love your brother, and I will let him know whenever I can find a good time, if you think that is the best way to go." Rebecca again told Susan the part of the truth that she knew she wanted to hear.

"I do think that it is the best idea, I have been wrong before, and I was wrong in telling you to stay away from him. It would be much appreciated if we didn't tell Lucy and Edmund, not yet. They're smart, and they will figure it out, when the time is right. For now, we have a war to deal with this, and there is so much going on between emotions, and warring, that I think they need to know as little as possible." Susan used her best logic, and Rebecca realized that she was right, but Lucy already knew, and it was too late to go back and lie to her. However, Rebecca didn't see this as the time to tell Susan this.

"I think that may be the best thing to do." Susan said nothing else, and started walking again. Rebecca followed her, knowing that Susan did not want anymore speaking going on between them. When they reached the castle only minutes later, they went their separate ways. Susan went off to do g-d knows what, and Rebecca headed up to her room to think. While passing Peter's room, Rebecca hear footsteps on the ground, she stopped to listen, and from the sound of it, someone was pacing. Changing her mind, Rebecca knocked on Peter's door.

"Who is it?" asked Peter tensely.

"It's me, Rebecca."

"Come in, I have something very important to tell you." Rebecca entered, noticed the worried look on Peter's face, and went to him. She embraced him in a tight, warm, grip. His strong arms wove around her shoulders, and he began to speak. "This is something that you probably don't want to hear, but it's going to be tomorrow, the war starts tomorrow."


	33. Chapter 33

"What do you mean?" asked Rebecca, taken aback by what she had heard. Peter held her like there was no tomorrow before explaining himself.

"I mean we have a window of opportunity for attack tomorrow, and we're going to take it. If we don't, we may not have another chance. We have gotten wind of news that the other army is preparing, and if we don't attack them tomorrow, they very well may be stronger then us." Peter waited a long time to speak. Rebecca waited even longer, letting the thoughts sink in.

"You do realize that this means, if my dream is correct, that you have a very good possibility of dying tomorrow?" Rebecca could not think of anything else. She wanted to show her support for him, but she couldn't, the vision of Peter dying kept running through her mind.

"I know. As much as I want to be thinking about everything else, the only thing that I can think of is how tomorrow is probably the end, and tonight is my last night with my family." Peter tried to look like this didn't effect him, but it clearly did. One single tear rolled down his face and on to the top of Rebecca's hair. Neither of them knew what to say. Rebecca was in to much shock to say anything. She was just now realizing that what people always said, it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all may not be entirely true. She knew that it would be harder to let go of Peter now than it would have been to never have loved him. Even if they had just stayed friends it wouldn't have been as hard. It took every ounce of self control in her body to keep her from bursting in to tears and beg him not to go. Instead, she cried as softly as she could, so as to worry Peter as little as possible.

"You know, you are so brave and kind. You have saved my life in so many ways, all I want to do is have the opportunity to repay you, but it looks like I'll never have that chance, so thank you, thank you for your kindness, and for your help." Rebecca wanted to look at Peter, but she couldn't, it was just too hard.

"There is no reason for you to be thanking me. Look at me; we still have some time left. Let's make the most of it, and not tell anyone else what we know. It we are careful, maybe, just maybe this can be avoided." Peter tilted Rebecca's chin so that she could see his face.

"I hope that that we can save you, but maybe that's not a possibility." Trying to think of the best, but simply saying the worst, she didn't know why, but something in her gut told her it was all over.

"I know how slim our chances are, and I'm willing to accept what's in store for us. Are you?" asked Peter.

"I will try my best to accept everything, but it's going to be hard." Rebecca wanted to make Peter enjoy what may be his last day alive, and may be the beginning of a new Narnia.

"Thank you. Now, where have you been?"

"Oh, I was with Susan, she was teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. I guess the lesson couldn't have come at a better time. She told me that she has noticed a change in you; she says that she can tell that you are in love. I was advised to tell you that how I feel about you to protect YOU from a broken heart." Rebecca decided that it was best to tell Peter what Susan had said to her. He gave the only response that could have lightened her spirits, he laughed. Before she knew what she was doing, she started laughing with him. They were laughing together so long that they had both forgotten what was funny before they stopped laughing. "Why is that so funny?" asked Rebecca, remembering what she had said that made Peter laugh.

"I just think it's funny that Susan could tell, and after I thought no one could. Also, that she would tell you what to do in order to protect me from a broken heart."

"Well, I wish that I could save you from the other things that could harm, all I want is to keep you safe, but I don't know how to." Rebecca was re-gaining the feeling of insecurity and worry that had consumer her before.

"Rebecca, you don't have to, you have saved me already. You have saved me from dying without ever loving." Peter knew what he was saying was corny, but it was the only thing that he could think of to say that fit the way he was feeling.

"That's not enough, now this is going to sound very selfish, and it is, but _I _need you! I really love you, and I don't know what life will be without you now that I've known you." Rebecca began crying all over again, and she tightened her arms around Peter, never wanting to let go. He held her close to him, and just let her cry, he waned to cry also, but for some reason, he couldn't. "I wish that I'd never come here, that I'd never gotten wrapped up in this war, in these feelings. I wish that I could have just stayed with my family of the moment instead of coming here, falling in love, and then going through this pain. I don't even know if you really are going to die, but I feel like you're dead already."

"If it were you that were going to die, I know that I would be tearing myself up inside, wondering where I'd gone wrong to deserve the loss of someone I love so much. Please, just try to act like you don't know anything. If I die tomorrow, just forget that any of this ever happened, and if I live, just live each day as though it's the last one; just try this, for me." Rebecca heard Peter's words, and suddenly wished that it was her that was going to die.

"Ok," was the only answer Rebecca could provide. Before any more words could come to her mind, she kissed Peter fiercely, and he returned her kiss with more passion than either of them could ever imagine. They were both so lost in each other that neither heard the knock on the door, and neither noticed immediately when Edmund entered.

"PETER!" shouted Edmund, and Rebecca and Peter broke instantly apart. "I was knocking on the door for a few minutes, and you didn't say anything, so I thought I'd come in. It looks like this may be a bad time, I'll come back in a few minutes, be prepared." Edmund turned and walked out the door, leaving both Rebecca and Peter shocked.

"How many times are we going to get walked in on by my siblings, do you think?" asked Peter. Rebecca laughed and shook her hear.

"That's two down, one to go," she joked, suddenly in a much better mood than she had been earlier. "What do you think we should tell him?"

"Well, I think it's pretty self explanatory, he saw us, unlike Lu. With him, we just say the truth, and tell him to keep his mouth shut." Rebecca nodded in agreement.

"I'm coming back in now!" called Edmund, "Whether you like it or not!" Edmund entered, and looked at Peter as though to say, ok, time to explain yourself.

"So, what's going on?" asked Peter, wondering what it was Ed actually wanted from him.

"Oh, I was just coming to tell you that everything is basically set up for the battle tomorrow, in which I will be fighting." Edmund sounded as though before this, he had not made up his mind on whether to fight or not.

"Ah, I see, well, that's your choice," said Peter.

"Just as it is mine, you know I'm fighting too," said Rebecca.

"She's fighting? Since when?" asked Ed, slightly shocked.

"I just wanted to, I have nothing back home to worry about living for, but there is so much here, that I think it is the right thing to do, just like you," responded Rebecca.

"Alright, well, now that we've clarified that, what is going on between you two?" asked Edmund. Peter and Rebecca exchanged a quick look, and Peter began to explain to Edmund.

"Ed, Rebecca and I really like each other, and what you saw was nothing other then kissing."

"Does Susan know about this?" asked Edmund, laughing at his brother.

"Not entirely, but Lucy does, that's really all there is to it, except that if you tell someone, we'll have to kill you." Peter joked with Ed, and Ed nodded his head in agreement, still not able to believe that Peter was this close to a girl.

"Alright, well, that's all I needed, so I'll see both of you at dinner, and I promise, I won't tell anyone!" Edmund left, Peter and Rebecca laughed as he exited.

"Well, now that that's over," Peter leaned over, and kissed Rebecca.


	34. Chapter 34

**_A/N I am so sorry about the slow slow slow updating, but I had some serious internet problems, which by the way, are now better! I'm very happy about that! Keep reading, nd if you like to review go ahead, if not, I'm not the reviewing nazi. Just enjoy. This is one of the last chapters, after this one, we have I think 5 more, so we're coming down the home stretch! This is a home stretch I have never been down, I have never finished a story! I write them, post 6 chapters, and delete them, I am turning a new leaf, and thank you all for helping._**

_**Havah**_

The next few hours went by in a blur. Peter explained what was happening to Rebecca, and what they needed to do to get ready for tomorrow, and what they were actually doing tomorrow. Nerve poured right through Rebecca, she wasn't sure if she was ready to actually fight or not, she only knew a little bit about what she was doing, and maybe it wasn't enough to help Peter. As they rest of the afternoon, and then evening went by, Rebecca absorbed tactics, strategy, locations, and other facts that would be necessary. That night, no one ate, and no one slept much. Edmund and Peter sparred, Rebecca practiced her aim, but the targets were outside, and she was unable to practice any further than that. Susan tried to keep Lucy calm, and collected. Lucy was normally the one to want to help out, and participate, but she was abnormally worried.

"Rebecca, can I please talk to you for a moment?" asked Susan, catching Rebecca leaving the library later at night.

"Of course, do you need something?" asked Rebecca.

"Yes, sort of, Lucy's really worried about, she's told me that she knows that something bad is going to happen, but she doesn't know what."

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" asked Rebecca, wondering were this was going.

"Well, she wants us all to go home, and what I want you to do is to help get Peter and Edmund all the way back to the wardrobe if anything seems to be going wrong."

"I'm sorry; I don't really understand what you mean." Rebecca knew what Susan was talking about, but she wasn't really sure what she wanted her to do.

"What I'm trying to say is, tomorrow, when the fighting is happening, I want you to try and stay as close to both Peter and Edmund as you can. If anything starts to go wrong, I want the three of you to meet me and Lucy at the wardrobe, that's where we're going to wait."

"So what you mean is that if the fighting starts to look bad, I'm to bring Peter and Ed to you, and the four of you go home?" asked Rebecca, hoping for an excuse to get Peter and Edmund safe.

"Exactly, do you think you could try to do that for me?"

"Of course, I'll do my best to keep your family safe."

"Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Please, come with us if we leave," Susan looked genuine and serious with her offer.

"I'll think about it, and I'll know when it's necessary, thank you very much for the offer."

"No problem, anyway, there's still a lot to be done, so we should probably get going, thank you very much," Susan walked away, and Rebecca headed off in another direction, thinking over Susan's offer. _Susan, of all people wants me to go with them, but what I can't figure out is whether she wants me to go because she likes me as something similar to family, or if she wants me simply to keep Peter from staying behind, but if faced with the decision. Does she not realize that if faced with the decision, Peter would choose his family over me any day? _

It was getting late, and everyone was tired, so everyone made the decision to try and go to sleep, though each of them thought to themselves that that was never going to happen, not that night. Susan went to her room, got ready, and went to her bed. She turned down the covers, and got in. Sleep was not something that came easily. All she wanted to do was go over plans in her head, talk everything out down to the very last teeny tiny detail, with any one that she could. It had always been her style to think over, and plan every last thing, she was not one to take this lightly and unplanned.

Edmund crawled in to bed, and fell asleep right away. However, he slept very uneasily. Like everybody else, he sensed that something didn't feel quite right about tomorrow's impending events. As a result, he woke many times, but only for brief periods of time, then went back to sleep. Lucy couldn't sleep, and she knew that she wasn't going to until much later that night. She was worried for tomorrow, and she had no idea what was going to happen, but she was hoping that it wasn't going to be bad, though she felt that it would.

Rebecca sat on the top of her bed, afraid of what would happen if she did sleep. Every night of recent, the dream had visited her, and she didn't want to see it, not now, not today. Peter was the first person that had really ever cared about her. Her parents were gone when she was too young to remember if they really cared about her. If Peter died, she would be back to no one again, no one who cared if she lived or died. She didn't want that again, she didn't want to be alone again, with no one who even knew who actually knew that she existed. Sleep did not come to her until much later.

Peter eased into his bed, thinking about all of the things that he still had to do before tomorrow, and he didn't even think about sleep right away. He ran over lists in his head. Lists of strategies, and battle plans, and names of the Narnians fighting on their side, this information was irrelevant to their cause, but it put Peter at ease. The only way he could have been more at ease would have been to know that it was all over, and that everyone else was safe. His death now seemed unavoidable, but maybe, just maybe there was a chance that they could all survive. All that Peter wanted was for this to all end. He was up longer than Susan, Lu, and Ed. Rebecca and Peter were both up most of the night, thinking about each other.


	35. Chapter 35

_**A/N: I am sorry for the slow update, and I am going to give you several chapters at once to make up for it, maybe even the rest of the story, I don't know. My internet situation isn't too good right now, but for the next week, I have full access, so there should be a lot tonight, and then maybe I'll post another story.**_

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**Havah**_

****Almost as soon as Rebecca had been able to close her eyes and sleep, the dream came again. She tossed, and turned as she watched the actions of both sides. Before the fatal blow was struck, she cried out, as all ways, only this time, she cried aloud, waking even herself. As she opened her eyes suddenly, she saw that she had twisted the blankets all around her body, and she was panting heavily. _I wonder what would happen if for once, I didn't wake up at that part, would I find out more information about the outcome of this war. _Rebecca wondered to herself a question that had been invading her thoughts only a little bit. There was so much going on, but maybe if she could remember to stay asleep next time, she could see the end, the outcome. Then she remembered that unless the dream came again that night, everyone would know the outcome before she even had a chance to dream it.

Peter was lost in a half thought, half dream state that kept him awake, but only sort of. He was thinking of Rebecca and the war, he saw her beside him, fighting to protect him, and he saw himself trying to protect her. She didn't need his help, she doing a spectacular job of keeping anything, or anyone away from them. His dream switched, and he was back in his room, not sure if he had ever left it at all. After lying in bed, breathing heavily, but regularly for a moment, he switched back in to a dream state. It seemed like the same dream, only later in time. They were running, Peter and Rebecca, together, and they were headed somewhere that Peter had never seen. They reached a door, which they went through without hesitation, and entered a room, where there was a single painting. Again, he awoke, and switched back into his room, feeling more worried and confused than he ever had in his life. He wanted to go and see Rebecca, but he somehow didn't think that he could.

Their thoughts were on each other, they wanted to see each other, but neither dared even get up. Instead, both lay in bed, all night, sometimes in a state of shock and fear, and sometimes in dream, or curiosity. They both wondered what would happen tomorrow, and if anything would be alright ever again. _What if I don't die? Can Rebecca and I still remain close? Will she be able to come back with us if we decide to go home? _Many thoughts and questions filled Peter's mind, but all of them remained unanswered that night. _Life can be so confusing, what is going to happen? Why can't I just sleep like a normal person tonight? I need my rest for tomorrow! _Rebecca tried to make herself sleep, but like Peter, she was unsuccessful. After the longest night of their lives, both resolved that sleep was no longer a possibility, and that they should just get up.

Peter rose from bed first, putting on the under-layer of his armor, knowing that before the sun rose it would be time to leave, and he might as well be prepared. He then headed downstairs to the kitchen, and tried to eat, but he didn't really feel like anything. As he turned to leave the room, he ran smack into Rebecca, who had been looking down, and didn't see him. "You should be asleep, it's still very early." Peter couldn't think of anything else to say, as he didn't want her to know she had kept him up all night without meaning to.

"I know, but I'm just so nervous, I've never really done anything like this before, and it's kind of a big leap for me." Rebecca was halfway honest with Peter, and for the time being, he didn't need to know what had really kept her up.

"You don't have to go, it's not too late to get out of this and stay behind with Susan and Lucy." Peter was torn between wanting her to stay, and wanting her to come. He wanted her with him, because he always wanted to be near her, but he wanted her to stay because he loved her and wanted her to be safe.

"There's nothing that can be done now, I've said I'll go, and I'll go. Nothing is going to stop me from fighting beside you. I believe in this cause, even though I know very little about it, and I don't want you alone out there."

"I won't be alone, Ed's coming. If you're not ready for this, don't risk it." Peter spoke with only half of his heart. Edmund was going to be there, but somehow, it wasn't the same.

"Ed fights with a sword, as do you, a bow and arrow is long range, and could keep people further away from you, without Susan, whether you want to think it or not, you may need me." Rebecca was now just thinking as fast as she could of reasons not to stay behind.

"You do have a point, but if what you dreamed is true, then whether or not you are there is totally irrelevant."

"Do you not want me to come?" asked Rebecca.

"With all my heart I want you to be there with me, because I want to be near you as much as possible, but some part of me wants you to stay for your safety."

"I'm coming, it's settled." Rebecca was defiant in her decision to go, and had made up her mind to protect Peter as long as possible.

"Alright, then I guess it's settled, we have to go soon, I'm going to wake Ed, let Lu and Susan sleep."

"Alright, well, what about Oreius and the rest of the army?" asked Rebecca.

"They are probably already awake; Oreius is for sure, I'm not sure if he even sleeps. Meet in the stable area in five minutes, we leave in an hour at the most." Peter headed up the stairs to go and wake Edmund. Rebecca headed towards the stables, wondering how it was that they would possibly be ready to leave within the hour. She met with Peter and many other's in the area surrounding the stables, and the rest of the army, small as it was from the loss of so many in an earlier battle. Not a hour later, they departed, and an hour and a few minutes later, they made their attack.


	36. Chapter 36

_**A/N Here's more, please enjoy.**_

_**Your Author in Training.**_

**_Havah_**

The fighting was nothing like Rebecca had expected. There were beings all around that she had never expected to see. As soon as the fighting began she realized the danger of a battle for the first time. The surprise attack had been helpful, but now the battle was fully fledged. Rebecca kept the beings as far away from she and Peter as she could. Her eyes scanned the crowd for anyone that might be moving in on Peter. She also looked for Edmund, who had been separated from them right away, though she did not see him. Any creature she couldn't stop, Peter killed. He was excellent with a sword, and seemingly fearless. Ever second, Rebecca was worried, she expected him to fall at any moment, though she could not predict when it would be, or even if it would be.

_This is so much harder then I ever imagined. I worry every second that Rebecca is going to be killed, and that I will be killed. It seems selfish, but I really don't want to die. If it comes down to her or me though, I will die. _Peter almost couldn't keep his mind on the task at hand, though he knew he had to in order for their survival. _Where's Ed? Oh g-d, I hope he's alright! This just keeps getting worse and worse. _His thoughts were interrupted briefly as a Minotaur approached him. The fight with the beast lasted only a minute. It was no longer difficult to fight a mythical beast, as he was now used to seeing them, the same could not be said for Rebecca. Every being awed her, she did not recognize any of them, and was quite startled by all of them.

Rebecca's aim was somewhat better under pressure, and she hit most of her targets. Sometimes, when more then one being attacked at once, she hit as many as she could, and Peter handled the rest. Somehow, fighting side by side felt unnervingly right to both of them. There was a sense of comfort to Peter knowing that Rebecca was fighting in a manner that was protecting him very well. Rebecca felt a strange security knowing that Peter wouldn't let anything happen to her, even if it meant he would die. The battle dragged on, and Rebecca and Peter were doing quite well, both were worried for each other, but both were also concerned for Edmund, as neither of them could see him.

Suddenly, without warning, Rebecca felt a poke at her back. She froze in fear, knowing that it was a sword. "Peter, if you make a single move, she dies, and I know you wouldn't want that." Peter turned, as a chill ran down his spine. He knew that voice, and he also knew that it wasn't good. The voice belonged to Jadis, the White Witch.

"They revived you, oh g-d, I'm such an idiot! I had completely forgotten that was a possibility. Rebecca, I'm sorry, but this doesn't look too good." Peter's voice was shaking, and he felt that there was no reason to conceal his fear.

"Put down your sword boy." Peter did as he was told; he couldn't bear to see Rebecca die at his fault. He couldn't help thinking that she would kill them both anyway, but he wasn't sure. "Can't you see? I have been in control of this since the day after you released your little friend of me.

"Peter, pick up your sword and kill her, let her kill me, if I don't die, many other people will!" Rebecca told Peter what she wanted him to do, and he knew she was right, but he couldn't do it.

"Oh yes Peter, kill me, and lose your girlfriend. However, if you don't kill me, if you surrender yourself, I will spare her, for now at least, and I will call off my army, we will leave everyone else alone." Jadis was attempting to bargain, and something about her told Peter she wasn't kidding. Was there something that she wanted from him, or Rebecca, that she couldn't get if they were both dead? "Your time is running out, pick up your sword, and bring it to me now, or she dies, and we continue, and eventually so does everyone else. You, your army, your brother, and when we find, which I assure you, we will, your sisters."

"I surrender myself, though I despise your tactics, you are too weak to fight mw, so you have to use bargaining chips. Give me one reason why I should trust you," said Peter, picking up his sword, and walking towards the witch.

"You should trust me because the deep magic binds me to keep my word, and the magic that released me from the other creatures. Through two sects of magic, one extremely dark, I am bound to keep my word." Peter handed her his sword, and she stabbed it into him. He fell, Rebecca watched, just like the dream. Rebecca screamed, and tears streamed down her face as she looked at him, on the ground, gasping for breath. She ran to him, and pulled him into her arms and kissed him. He was slowly dying, and it was tearing her apart.

As she promised, the witch called off her army, and called a few of her followers over to them. Before she was ready, Rebecca was being pulled away from Peter. She felt her heart breaking as she was dragged up off the ground, and in the opposite direction of the man she loved, sure that she was seeing him for the very last time.


	37. Chapter 37

**_A/N And yet some more for my lovely readers, please don't be too harsh, I'm really going through some hard stuff this week. Love You All,_**

_**Your Author in Training,**_

**_Havah_**

The witches' army receded, and with them they took Rebecca and Peter. They had offered to let Rebecca go, but she refused to leave Peter. "My life means nothing without him, I might as well be dead if I can't be with him for at least a little longer, so if you will kill me, do it, just let me stay with him for a little longer."

"Oh, how touching, she loves him. Well, we might as well take her, tie her up, but let her stay near the boy." The witch was showing some strange compassion, and Rebecca felt that maybe some parts of the creatures she had inhabited had gone back in to her. The members of the army that had been summoned by the witch were now bandaging Peter's wound, though it was unclear to Rebecca why they would do that. Why would they try to save their enemy? Was there even any possibility that Peter was going to survive this? Rebecca knew he was strong, but she wasn't sure how strong. After bandaging the wounds, Peter was lifted off of the ground, and the procession moved from the battlefield towards a place that Rebecca had not seen before in Narnia.

They approached a castle, smaller then the other, but a castle none the less. The entire way there, Rebecca walked, silently crying, beside Peter's weak body. _I don't know if you are still alive, I don't know if you can make it, but I know that you are strong, and that you did the right thing for Narnia. _Rebecca thought only to herself, she knew that saying these things out loud may not be a good idea. Instead, she whispered one thing to him. "I love you," she said through her tears. Nothing more was said for the rest of the walk, which wasn't much longer.

When they reached the castle entrance, Rebecca and Peter were separated. Rebecca was taken into a room where she was unbound and locked in, without so much as a single word from anyone. She had no idea where Peter had been taken too, but she knew that wherever it was, he was no longer breathing, so it didn't really matter. Thoughts consumed her again, wondering if Peter was alive, if Edmund was alive, if anyone knew what had happened. What of Lucy and Susan, they may have no insight on what has happened? Nothing could be hurting more then what Rebecca was going through right now. It took Rebecca at least in hour in the small room to realize that the tears still hadn't stopped. One thing that she didn't have to worry about was her heart breaking, because that had already happened, and right now, nothing could make it worse.

_Come one, please, somehow be alive! What if he is alive, what are they doing to him? He may be alive for now, but what good would that do them, they may kill him. The witch already tried to kill him, what would prevent her from doing it again. _Fear and worry for Peter consumed, along with extreme fatigue, and she passed out. How long she was out, she didn't know, but when she woke, she felt awful. Her head hurt, and every inch of her body ached, she couldn't move. All she wanted to do was to close her eyes, and go back to sleep, but something was preventing that from happening. Something was coming over her, telling her that somehow, she was going to survive this.

"You, are you still alive?" Rebecca opened her eyes, not sure of when she had fallen asleep again. She looked up, and saw the witch. She wanted to kill her, every once of her body wanted to leap up and cause this woman as much pain as she was causing Rebecca.

"I want you to know, that if I ever heal, I am going to cause you the pain that you have brought on to me." It took Rebecca every ounce of energy she had left to speak these words.

"Oh, I'm so scared. A pitiful little girl, lying on the floor is going to be my demise."

"Wait, I could never cause you the pain that you have caused me, because I love him, and you don't love, you don't have the power to love, and no one loves you."

"Good, it's settled then, you could never cause me all of the pain that I have given to you because I have no love. Well, I'm going to strike another blow, the reason that I came to you, the man you love, well loved, is dead." All of Rebecca's fiery energy left her in a moment. She crumpled again, beyond tears, she was chocking on her feelings. The witch left Rebecca alone with her pain. Something in the way the witch had delivered the message angered Rebecca so much that she could not even begin to express her hate.

All Rebecca wanted now was to die. She had nothing left to live for, the only person who had ever cared for her was dead, and nothing else mattered. Selfishness took her over, as she thought about how she didn't care about the feelings of Susan, Lucy, and Edmund, if he was still alive. She couldn't even begin to imagine what they would go through once they found out, but she didn't care. Just then, in that room, Rebecca made a resolution that if given the option, she would neither eat nor drink, and eventually, she would die, then her pain would be gone. Even the thought of this awful pain being gone was enough to write her resolution in stone.


	38. Chapter 38

**_A/N Here's the 2nd to last chapter of my story! I love you all! And I hope that I get lots of reviews on my last two chapters! I am still having my hard times (seeing as posted this at the same time as the last one,) so please, not too hard, critical is fine, just not mean please! THANKS:) _**

_**Your Author in Training,**_

**_Havah_**

When Peter awoke, he was in the most pain he had ever been in. He was freezing, because he armor had been removed, and the top had not been replaced. His stomach was in excruciating pain, and as he looked down, he saw that there was a bloody bandage over his middle, and then he remembered what had happened. Looking around, he noticed that his wrists were chained to the wall in a stone room, with nothing in it except for some old furniture, and a few paintings. Moving did not strike Peter as a good idea, so he stayed still, lying on the hard floor. It took him a moment to recollect his thoughts, and as soon as he did, one work came into his mind, Rebecca. The last thing he remembered was her life being threatened if he didn't surrender. What he didn't know was if they had killed her anyway, let her go, or were keeping her a prisoner like himself.

Questions filled Peter's brain, but he didn't have the strength to remain awake enough to think about them fully. As a strange form of sleep consumed him, all of his thoughts left save one, as he drifted away, he thought only of Rebecca. From time to time, he awoke in a state of excruciating pain, but only for a few moments, death had not been eluded yet, he was still in danger. Was it minutes, hours, days, weeks, even months since Peter had been brought there? It had all gone by in a blur of pain, confusion, and a half full sleep. Hope was beginning to fade, he felt weaker every second, and he was unsure of whether he was even still alive. His eyes were closed when he heard the door open, and he was too weak to open them, or lift his head. "Boy, can you hear me?" asked Jadis. Peter tried to nod, but his muscles would not let him, instead, his head moved just a few centimeters, but it was enough for Jadis to realize the response was yes. "I need to talk to you, but you are too weak, I need to do something about that."

Peter felt a boiling hot liquid, just one drop, fall onto his primary wound. It stung for a second, and then all pain subsided. He felt the tension on his muscles release, and he opened his eyes. "What is going on?" asked Peter, able to speak as though nothing was wrong with him.

"I have given you some potion that keeps your pain away for just a little while. You should probably know that we are doing everything within out power to keep you alive, but in as much pain as possible."

"Why not just let me die?" asked Peter, full of malice. He was unsure about whether he even wanted to live anymore; it depended on what happened to Edmund, and Narnia, and of course, Rebecca.

"We are choosing to keep you alive because you have something I need, but you do not need to know about that yet. So, how are you feeling?"

"What did you do to Rebecca!" Anger enveloped Peter as he realized that they had the perfect opportunity to kill her.

"Oh, don't worry, she's fine, well, she's alive and in better shape than you are." Jadis laughed at Peter's condition and moved towards him. "Now, if you cooperate, maybe you can see her."

"I loathe your methods; I will cooperate, if you just give me some kind of proof that she is still alive." Peter had no intention of believing the witch right away.

"Proof, what, like something that she would have that we can show you? A phrase r answer to a question that only she would know?"

"Anything, it doesn't matter, just some sort of proof of life."

"Alright, well, I assume that you know she loves you, and you've made it rather clear that you care about her, so I will send someone to talk to her, and I'll have them ask her when you first expressed any kind of feeling other than friendship for her. This could be highly amusing, if you need proof, hold on just moment." The witch called for one of her dwarf servants to go and ask Rebecca he question.

Rebecca was lying on the ground, somewhere between tears and dry eyes, when she again heard the door open. "What do you want?" asked Rebecca, as rudely as possible.

"The White Witch needs to know when Peter first expressed his true feelings towards you."

"Why would I want to tell her that?" asked Rebecca loathingly.

"Peter doesn't believe that you're alive. The witch needs his cooperation, but he needs proof that you're alive before he'll do or say anything, so just give me your answer!"

"You mean, you mean he's still alive?" Rebecca was shocked. The witch had told her that he was dead, and she had believed her. Her heart filled with hope immediately, and she sat up.

"Yes, I mean he's alive, but neither of you will be for long unless you cooperate. Fail to give us the answer, and he gets to watch you die, and then he dies himself."

"Fine, alright, I'll tell you. Peter first expressed his love when I accidentally woke him up one night crying because I'd had a dream of him being stabbed, and I thought he was dead. I love him, and I am so glad that he's still alive." Rebecca was hoping that the dwarf would relay he entire message to Peter.

"Thank you, and if he cooperates, maybe you'll even get to see him again." The dwarf slammed and locked the door, leaving Rebecca alone again.

"Boy, your friend says that you came to when she accidentally awoke you by crying because she saw you et stabbed in a dream, and she says she loves you and she's glad that you're alive." Peter's heart skipped a beat as he heard Rebecca's words.

"You told her that he was alive?" asked Jadis angrily.

"I didn't know that I wasn't supposed to!" said the dwarf, cowering in the witch's wrathful glare.

"Well, be that as it may, you weren't, no matter its too late. Did you hear that? She's alive, and she loves you, don't let her down, if you fail to cooperate, then you will watch her die a slow and painful death."

"What do you want?" asked Peter, willing to comply for Rebecca's life.

"I want you to give me a key into the human world. Let me come with you to the human world, and her life will be spared, as well as yours and your families."

"Fine, I'll take you, just let me see Rebecca first, preferably alone." Jadis rolled her eyes, but agreed with Peter's request. As she exited to go and get Rebecca, Peter winced, his pain was coming back, and quickly he collapsed to the ground.

"Girl, come here, he's cooperated, you get to see the boy king now." Jadis had one of her servants pull Rebecca towards her. Just before exiting, one of the servants bound Rebecca's hands. "Oh I apologize for that, well actually, no I don't, but we do have to make sure that you don't escape." Rebecca was led down a hallway, and into another room, where she saw Peter chained to the floor. He looked as though he was in a great deal of pain. She was thrown on the ground, and she heard the door shut and lock. They were finally alone.


	39. Chapter 39

Rebecca rushed to Peter as fast as she could. She tried to pull him into her arms, but her wrists were tied, making it impossible. "Peter! Peter, are you alright?" asked Rebecca. Peter used as much energy as he could muster to pull himself into an upright position.

"I'm here, everything's alright." He kissed her far more passionately than ever before, and she returned it with every ounce of being in her. When they broke apart, he rushed to unbind her hands. Peter couldn't understand where this energy was coming from, it was like Rebecca was giving him back life. As soon as her hands were free, she held him as tightly as she could without hurting him. "They didn't hurt you did they?" asked Peter.

"No, not physically, but I almost died when they told me you were dead. We have to get you out of here, you're not even close to safety yet, I don't think."

"I know I'm not safe, I don't trust Jadis, and I want you to get out of her as soon as I can so that I can resist her request." Peter wondered if Rebecca got out f this if Jadis could hurt him any other way. She may not know where the rest of his family was, and maybe they had gone back through the wardrobe.

"I'm not quite sure that I understand what you're saying."

"What I'm saying is the witch is using you as a bargaining chip to get me to do what she wants. She says that she'll kill you unless I do as she says. You should know that I love you too much to let anything happen to you. I have no choice but to do as she says until you are either safe with Susan and Lu, or until you get back to the human world."

"What exactly does she say she wants?" asked Rebecca.

"She wants access to the human world, and that is something that I don't want her to ever gain, it could be extremely destructing for everyone."

"Peter, you can't give that to her! Even if she does kill me, in fact, let her kill me! We cannot let her get into that world."

"I understand that this is destructing, but I can't let you die, let's just try and get you out of here, then I will tell the witch that I can't give her what she wants."

"I can't leave you in that situation; you know that if you disagree, they'll kill you."

"Yes, probably they will, but I'm a bad state already, so it may not matter." Rebecca didn't know what to say, so she let her eyes scan the room. Suddenly, she gasped. "What's wrong?" asked Peter.

"That painting, that's the one that I came through, it could take me back, I think." Rebecca's eyes had fallen upon a painting of the room that she had left from.

"Go through it. If you go through it than I can keep the witch in check for now, if you disappear, she won't know what's happening, and maybe I'll be able to stall her until I can think of a plan that keeps everyone alive. "

"Peter, I'm not going without you, come with me, we can find a way to let your family know that you've gone through, and that they should too, that way, no one dies."

"I can't go through there, I don't know if there is a way that I can get to where my family would be staying, I don't even know if it's possible for me to go through a place that I didn't come from. Go, as the high king of Narnia, I am demanding that you go."

"Then I am going to break the law." Rebecca showed absolutely no sign of moving, even with Peter's demands.

"If you don't go through that painting now, I will take off my bandage." Peter moved his hands to his stomach, ready to pull off the bloodstained cloths.

"You can't do that, if you take those off, you will bleed to death!" Rebecca tried to stop herself from screaming.

"I know, and if you don't go through that painting, I'll kill myself, that way, they won't have any grounds to kill you."

"Don't do this Peter, please, just come with me."

"Rebecca, I can't there are too many things stopping me, my family, Narnia, and if you haven't noticed, I'm stuck here." Rebecca had noticed the chains on Peter's wrists, but just briefly, and she hadn't realized until just now that he was, even if he could get the strength too, in now position to move any further then a couple of feet.

"Peter, please, don't make me go, I want to stay with you."

"I'm sorry, but you have to do this, for all of us. There is a chance that I may be able to get out of this." Peter kissed Rebecca, he never wanted to let her go, he never wanted this to happen, but it had too.

"I promise that if you go through, that I will find a way out of this. I will go back through the wardrobe, and I swear that I will find you again. You have to believe that I will never rest until I find you back in the human world. Rebecca Marlowe, if you go through, I will come back to you, on my life I will find you again. GO!"

"Peter, I love you, and I hope that believing you is not a mistake."

"It's not a mistake; I will find you as soon as I can. Tell me where you live, when the war is over I'll come and find you." Rebecca told him where he could find her, and without saying anything else, she kissed Peter, and walked over to the painting. She turned away from I to take one last look at Peter. Something was telling them both t would be a very long time before they saw each other again, if they ever saw each other again.

"I love you," whispered Rebecca as silent tears began stream down her face. She didn't want to leave him, she didn't know if he would ever make it out of this castle.

"You know that I love you." Peter didn't dare to say anything more, instead, he just watched as she turned, examined the painting closely for a few moments, and then disappeared.

_**A/N Alright, this is he end of this part of the story, and the only way that I can really think to write the next part is to write a sequel. The sequel is titles Distance Makes Us Wise, and it will be posted in the same amount of time that it would take an average chapter of this story. Just please note that this is a continuation of this story, I just find it easier to set it up like a new one. Thank you very much.**_

_**Havah**_


	40. Final AN

_**A/N Hey all, I just wanted to thank you again for reading A Better Place to Be, and please don't forget to read Distance Makes Us Wise if you liked the first one!**_

_**Your Author in Training,**_

_**Havah**_


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